{"biography":"Burnis Lee Wilkins\u202fJr. is the incumbent Sheriff of Robeson County, North Carolina, and is seeking re\u2011election as the Democratic candidate for the 2026 general election on November\u202f3,\u202f2026. The county sheriff serves as the chief law\u2011enforcement officer, responsible for policing unincorporated areas, operating the county detention facility, providing court security, serving civil process, and coordinating emergency response and public\u2011safety initiatives across the jurisdiction.  \n\nWilkins has more than four decades of sworn service in city, county, state and federal agencies. He began his career with the Lumberton Police Department in 1981, joined the Robeson County Sheriff\u2019s Office as a patrol deputy in 1982, and rose through the ranks to become a Drug Division Supervisor, a federally funded Drug Task Force supervisor, Chief of Detectives, and later a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal on the Eastern District\u2019s Violent Fugitive Task Force. He also served as a state agent with the North Carolina Department of Crime Control & Public Safety\u2019s Alcohol Law Enforcement Division.  \n\nWilkins holds an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice and has earned numerous state certifications, including the Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, specialized instructor qualifications, and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (awarded in 2012) for his public service. He is also a certified EMT and an Open\u2011Water Diver.  \n\nBefore being elected sheriff in 2018, Wilkins served as a Lumberton City Councilman, giving him experience in local governance and budgeting. He first appeared on the ballot for Robeson County Sheriff in the 2022 general election as the Democratic nominee, according to Ballotpedia [1].  \n\nAs sheriff, Wilkins has emphasized improving relationships between law\u2011enforcement personnel, first responders, and the community. He has launched multi\u2011agency task forces to combat the county\u2019s longstanding drug problem and has partnered with state and federal partners on nuisance\u2011abatement investigations, such as the 2025 case against Kalee\u2019s Oasis, where his request for assistance from the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division led to a court\u2011ordered consent judgment restricting the property\u2019s operations [5].  \n\nWilkins\u2019 office has also expanded community\u2011focused programs. In April\u202f2026, the Sheriff\u2019s Office participated in the opening of a Behavioral Health Urgent Care \u201cSAFE\u201d program, underscoring a commitment to mental\u2011health crisis response [2]. He has highlighted staffing shortages, noting that the department handles roughly 4,700 calls per month with only ten deputies on duty at any given time, and has advocated for hiring additional deputies and upgrading equipment such as Viper radios and Flock safety cameras to improve response capabilities and officer safety [12].  \n\nWilkins continues to serve as an instructor, having taught thousands of officers and first responders across North Carolina in areas ranging from active\u2011shooter response to hazardous\u2011materials handling [4]. His public\u2011safety philosophy stresses \u201crespect\u201d and \u201ccommunity partnership,\u201d with a stated goal of restoring a sense of safety so residents feel comfortable in their homes and workplaces [2].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Burnis Wilkins (Robeson County Sheriff, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Burnis_Wilkins_(Robeson_County_Sheriff,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [2] [Robeson County NC Sheriff's Office](https://robesoncountysonc.gov/)\n- [3] [Robeson County Sheriff's Office | Robeson County, NC](https://www.robesoncountync.gov/robeson-county-sheriff)\n- [4] [Sheriff Wilkins | Robeson County NC Sheriff's Office](https://robesoncountysonc.gov/sheriff-wilkins/)\n- [5] [Final Judgment Ordered in Robeson County Nuisance Case | NC DPS](https://www.ncdps.gov/news/press-releases/2025/09/26/final-judgment-ordered-robeson-county-nuisance-case)\n- [8] [Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins' office said in a ...](https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/posts/robeson-county-sheriff-burnis-wilkins-office-said-in-a-news-release-on-social-me/1224160002909175/)\n- [12] [Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins lays out needs for fighting crime in coming fiscal year | Robesonian](https://www.robesonian.com/news/318577/robeson-county-sheriff-burnis-wilkins-lays-out-needs-for-fighting-crime-in-coming-fiscal-year)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_sheriff","county":"robeson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Robeson County Sheriff"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Burnis","fullname":"Burnis Lee Wilkins JR","lastname":"Wilkins","middlename":"Lee","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_sheriff","contest_title":"Robeson County Sheriff","county":"robeson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"robeson","office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"robeson","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_sheriff","contest_title":"Robeson County Sheriff","county":"robeson","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"robeson","office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"suffix":"JR","summary":"Incumbent Sheriff Burnis Lee Wilkins\u202fJr. of Robeson County, NC, seeks re\u2011election in 2026, highlighting his 40\u2011year law\u2011enforcement career and community\u2011focused initiatives.","terms":[],"token":"3767842be18f05d2"}