Mickey Tillman for Sheriff of Craven County

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💜September is National Recovery Month, a time to recognize people in recovery from substance use and mental health chall...
09/01/2026

💜September is National Recovery Month, a time to recognize people in recovery from substance use and mental health challenges.

I have seen both up close. But addiction, in particular, has touched both my professional and personal life.

As someone who has spent more than 30 years on the front lines as a first responder, both as a law enforcement officer and firefighter, I have seen the devastating impact of addiction firsthand.

I have responded to overdoses. I have stood beside people on the edge of death. I have brought people back when addiction had taken them to places they never intended to go.

It was part of my job. It was what I was trained to do. I responded to the call, did everything to save those I could and I prayed for those I couldn’t, and then I went on to the next one.

Until it became personal.

Alcohol. Drugs. Prescription pills. Mental health crises. I have watched friends and family members struggle with all of them. I watched some fight their way toward recovery, and I watched others lose that battle.

That changes you.

The truth is, we don’t always know the when, why, or how someone’s substance use began. It may have started with a prescription following an injury. It may have started with underage drinking or experimenting in school. It may have been peer pressure, trauma, pain, or simply a moment that turned into something far more difficult to escape.

Whatever the beginning, we cannot allow someone’s worst moments to define their entire life.

Recovery is hard. Life can be hard at times. For those fighting addiction, every day can be a battle.

But to those who are in recovery, I want you to hear this…

Please don’t give up.

You know where you’ve been. You know what you’ve survived. You know how hard it was to get here.

Keep moving forward.

As a first responder, I spent decades fighting to keep people alive.

Today, during National Recovery Month, I want to remind those still fighting that their lives are worth fighting for, not just in an ambulance, at the scene of an emergency, or after an overdose, but every single day afterward.

Recovery is not weakness. Asking for help is not weakness. Choosing to keep going is strength.

To everyone in recovery: I see you. I respect you. I stand with you. And I believe your story is still being written.

Keep fighting. Keep moving forward. You are worth the fight. 💜

These are only a few pictures from cases I worked over the years. Each one has a story behind it.Drug cases can start i...
08/27/2026



These are only a few pictures from cases I worked over the years. Each one has a story behind it.

Drug cases can start in all kinds of ways. It might be a traffic stop, a tip, something noticed on patrol, or an investigation that takes time to put together. However it starts, it takes training, experience, patience, and paying attention to the little things. It means asking the right questions and recognizing when something doesn’t add up. That’s what led to the seizures in these pictures.

Proper interdiction training is a big part of that, especially during traffic stops. It teaches you what to look for, what questions to ask, and when the details just don’t add up. It also teaches you to respect constitutional rights and follow the law at every step. An arrest is only the beginning. The stop, search, seizure, arrest, and paperwork all have to be handled correctly so the evidence holds up in court and the case can lead to a conviction.

Along the way, I learned there is a big difference between someone caught up in addiction and someone making money selling and moving drugs. Both have to be dealt with, but not in the same way.

Someone struggling with addiction still has to be held accountable, but arrest alone won’t solve the problem. Treatment and a way out matter too.
A trafficker profiting from that addiction is a different story. That takes focused enforcement and a solid case.

Knowing the difference is part of doing the job right.

When people think about the Sheriff’s Office, I don’t want the first thing that comes to mind to be traffic stops or see...
08/25/2026

When people think about the Sheriff’s Office, I don’t want the first thing that comes to mind to be traffic stops or seeing a deputy only after something has already happened.

I want people to know the deputies serving their communities.

I want deputies to know the business owners, the neighborhoods, the families, and the young people in the areas they patrol. I want them to know what normally goes on in those communities so they recognize when something doesn’t look right.

That means getting out of the car. Showing up at community events. Talking to people. Spending time in our neighborhoods. Building relationships before there’s a problem.

That’s what proactive policing means to me.

The Sheriff’s Office shouldn’t be distant from the people it serves, and it shouldn’t be selective about who it serves. Every community in Craven County deserves to know that their Sheriff’s Office is there for them.

I want deputies to be visible, approachable, and involved throughout this county, not just driving from one call to the next.

Because those relationships matter.

When people know and trust their deputies, they’re more likely to pick up the phone when they see something. They’re more likely to share information. And sometimes that information gives law enforcement the opportunity to stop something before it happens instead of showing up afterward.

Being a deputy is about more than wearing a badge.

It’s about knowing the people and the communities you swore to protect.

-Mickey Tillman

Candidate for Craven County Sheriff

For most of our kids, tomorrow is the first day of school. Some have already started.The usual back-to-school safety rem...
08/23/2026

For most of our kids, tomorrow is the first day of school. Some have already started.

The usual back-to-school safety reminders are important, and I’ve included them below. But there’s another side of going back to school that we don’t talk about nearly as much, and I think it deserves just as much attention.

The first day of school can bring a lot of anxiety for a child, especially when they’re starting a new school or moving into a new grade. Sometimes that anxiety doesn’t look like worry. It can show up as a headache, nausea, an upset stomach, or even vomiting. Never dismiss a child actually being sick, but remember that sometimes their body is expressing what they don’t know how to put into words.

Keep the lines of communication open. I know work, dinner, and just everyday life can get in the way, but take a little time every day to ask how their day went and really listen. Put the phone down. Look them in the eyes.

Encourage them to do THEIR best, not somebody else’s best. Tell them you believe in them. Tell them you’re proud of them. And most importantly, tell them you love them.

Teach them to be kind, too. Not every child walking through those doors tomorrow was able to start the year with new clothes, new shoes, or all the school supplies they wanted. A little kindness can mean more than they realize.

And one last thing. If you’ve never read Psalm 91 in the Bible, or it’s been a while, take a few minutes tonight and read it. It is a prayer of protection. Pray it over your children, all the other children, our schools, our teachers, staff, and our School Resource Officers.

Take care of them, listen to them, encourage them, pray for them, and remind them to look out for each other.

- Mickey Tillman
Candidate for Craven County Sheriff

Throwback ThursdayThat’s me on the right during a week-long fugitive manhunt training course taught by the Black Duck Co...
08/20/2026

Throwback Thursday

That’s me on the right during a week-long fugitive manhunt training course taught by the Black Duck Corporation here in Craven County.

This training focused on tracking and locating fugitives through wooded terrain, working with bloodhounds, and learning how to search effectively when someone runs into an area where roads and patrol cars can’t take you.

Looking back, this was some pretty specialized training. Searching wooded areas, tracking fugitives and working with bloodhounds isn’t something you learn sitting behind a desk. You learn it by getting out there and doing it.

You may go years without needing some of that training. But when the day comes that you do need it, that’s not the time to be figuring it out.

Some things shouldn’t need a lot of explaining.Taxpayer money is not your personal checkbook.If you can’t comfortably ex...
08/18/2026

Some things shouldn’t need a lot of explaining.

Taxpayer money is not your personal checkbook.

If you can’t comfortably explain a purchase to the taxpayers who paid for it, maybe it’s a purchase you shouldn’t be making.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s $20 or $20,000.

It’s not your money.

Yes, I see “Spot Light for Patrol Boat” written on the receipt. Now look at the shipping address.

County purchase. Private residence.
You decide. Ask yourself why.

Sometimes accountability really is that simple.

* For clarity, nothing private is being uncovered here. This is an unaltered public record, and the address is publicly available through Craven County GIS. The address is public. Why the purchase was shipped there is the question.

It’s International Cat Day! 🐾I may be running for Sheriff, but around our house, this one has already taken charge.Keeps...
08/08/2026

It’s International Cat Day! 🐾

I may be running for Sheriff, but around our house, this one has already taken charge.

Keeps an eye on everything, expects meals on time, and isn’t afraid to voice a complaint. 😂

Happy International Cat Day from our family to yours!

📸 Looking back at my time in the Crime Lab at the Craven County Sheriff's Office. This photo shows me test-firing a han...
08/06/2026

📸

Looking back at my time in the Crime Lab at the Craven County Sheriff's Office.

This photo shows me test-firing a handgun into a bullet recovery system. The recovered bullet could then be compared under a comparison microscope to evidence collected from a crime scene. It's one of the many tools investigators use to determine whether a firearm is connected to a crime.

During my career, I was fortunate to work in several different assignments, and each one taught me something different. My time in the Crime Lab gave me an appreciation for patience, attention to detail, and the science that often helps turn evidence into answers.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have served in so many different roles because each one gave me a better understanding of how every part of a sheriff's office works together.

There are a lot of memories and lessons from those years. I may share a few more of them on future Throwback Thursdays.

- Mickey Tillman

A Sheriff For The People

Thank you to the River Bend, Clarks, and Rhems Precincts for the opportunity to speak yesterday. I appreciate everyone w...
08/02/2026

Thank you to the River Bend, Clarks, and Rhems Precincts for the opportunity to speak yesterday. I appreciate everyone who came out.

-Mickey Tillman

A Sheriff For The People

www.tillmanforsheriff.com

I don't recall when it started, but I have always had a servant's heart. Throughout my life, I've believed in people and...
07/30/2026

I don't recall when it started, but I have always had a servant's heart. Throughout my life, I've believed in people and invested in them. Time and time again, I have heard people I've had the opportunity to work with and interact with say, "I want to be like you someday."

IF I LET THEM BECOME LIKE ME, THEN I HAVE FAILED THEM.

I always told them I wanted them to be better than me, and I pushed them every day to become just that: better.

One thing I've learned over the years is that a Sheriff's Office isn't defined by the building, the vehicles, or even the Sheriff.

It's defined by the people who come to work every day to serve this community.

Every deputy should know there's a path forward. Every detention officer should know their hard work matters. Every employee should feel like someone is invested in helping them reach their goals, not just fill a shift.

Leadership isn't about finding the next person from somewhere else.

It's about preparing the people beside you to one day surpass you. A true leader doesn't fear that day. They work toward it. The best leaders train others to become even better than they were, because that's how an organization continues to grow long after they're gone.

It's about recognizing potential, developing it, and building the next generation of professionals from within.

At the end of the day, I want the men and women of the Sheriff's Office to know someone believes in them and is invested in their success.

I believe that's how you build a stronger Sheriff's Office, one that earns the trust and respect of both its deputies and the community it serves.

-Mickey Tillman

A Sheriff For The People

www.tillmanforsheriff.com

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New Bern, NC

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