Mickey Lee Tillman

Mickey Tillman is the Democratic candidate for Craven County Sheriff in the 2026 North Carolina general election. The sheriff’s office is the chief law‑enforcement agency for the county, responsible for patrol, criminal investigations, detention facilities, court security, civil process service and emergency response; the elected sheriff must manage personnel, budgets, and public safety policy while maintaining transparency and community trust [5].

Tillman’s career spans more than three decades in law‑enforcement. He began as a part‑time deputy and bailiff under Sheriff Jerry Monette, moving to full‑time service in 1994. Over the next 24 years he held a succession of operational and supervisory positions within the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, including Deputy Sheriff, Certified Detention Officer, Zone Deputy for Vanceboro, Patrol Sergeant, Criminal Investigator in the Crime Lab, Investigative Sergeant (Crime Lab Supervisor and Narcotics Supervisor), Investigative Lieutenant (Narcotics), and Patrol Lieutenant overseeing shift operations and public‑safety response. These roles gave him experience in patrol, detention, investigations, narcotics enforcement, crime‑scene processing, and command leadership [11].

From 2019 to 2022 Tillman served as a Reserve Deputy while also working as the Continuing Education and Workforce Development Law‑Enforcement Training Coordinator at Craven Community College, where he trained new officers and promoted modern policing standards. Since 2022 he has been a sworn reservist with the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office. His professional development includes certifications such as Certified Detention Officer, Intermediate and Advanced Law‑Enforcement Certifications, First Line Supervisor Training, Medical Responder, Fugitive Man Tracker, and General Instructor status, allowing him to teach and mentor fellow deputies. He also holds specialized investigative training in latent fingerprint analysis and other forensic techniques [11].

Tillman’s platform emphasizes integrity, professionalism, and transparency in the sheriff’s office, promising to leverage his extensive operational background and training expertise to improve public safety, enhance officer development, and strengthen community relations in Craven County. His campaign website is under construction, but voters can follow updates through the official site and social‑media pages [5][12].

Sources

• [5] Mickey Tillman for Craven County Sheriff
• [7] Mickey Tillman for Sheriff of Craven County | New Bern NC
• [11] Meet Mickey Tillman Democrat Candidate for Craven County Sheriff
• [12] Mickey Tillman platform & website | Craven Sheriff