Who Is Brandon Barbrey? Meet the Candidate Running for Wilson County Sheriff

Nearly 17 years of experience, a commitment to Wilson County, and a vision for leading the Sheriff's Office.

What happens when someone who's spent nearly 17 years working within the Wilson County Sheriff's Office decides he wants to lead it? For Brandon Barbrey, the decision isn't just about pursuing a new position. He says it's about taking responsibility for an agency and community he's dedicated much of his career to serving. But here's what I wanted to know: What would he do differently? What would he keep the same? And how would his leadership affect the people of Wilson County? As part of WOKE's Candidate Spotlight series, I invited both candidates for Wilson County Sheriff to share their experiences, priorities, and plans for the office. We've already heard from Bobby Knight. Now, let's hear from Brandon Barbrey. Let's get into it!

Who Is Brandon Barbrey?

Barbrey's law enforcement career began in January 2010, when he joined the Wilson County Sheriff's Office working in the detention center. Since then, he says he's worked his way through several positions, including patrol deputy, narcotics investigator, patrol sergeant, special operations lieutenant, detective bureau captain, and now Major. Today, he says he oversees criminal investigations, special operations, criminal intelligence, and detention operations. His experience also includes tactical operations, working with other law enforcement agencies, personnel development, budgeting, and training.

But Wilson County is more than just where he works. It's where he and his wife chose to raise their three children, build relationships, and become involved in the community.

So why run for sheriff? Barbrey says his decision comes from his belief in the agency, the people who work there, and the responsibility he feels to continue moving it forward.

“For me, this isn’t about becoming Sheriff, its about the responsibility of being Sheriff.”

For Barbrey, his experience within the department is a central part of his case for why he should lead it.

Public Safety: Is Making Arrests Enough?

When asked about Wilson County's biggest public safety challenges, Barbrey identified violent crime, illegal drugs, repeat offenders, juvenile gun violence, and property crimes. But something in his response caught my attention.

“Public safety isn’t measured by how many arrests we make.”

Now, that's an interesting point to unpack. Because when we hear about law enforcement, we often hear about arrests, investigations, and people being charged with crimes. But Barbrey says public safety should also be evaluated by whether crime is being prevented, repeat offenses are being reduced, and residents feel safer. He describes an approach that combines enforcement, crime prevention, intelligence sharing, and partnerships with other agencies.

He also emphasizes addressing juvenile violence through relationships with schools, parents, and community organizations. For property crimes, he proposes strengthening investigative follow-ups, expanding the Business Alert Program, and sharing information with regional law enforcement partners.

WOKE Explainer: What does it mean to measure public safety?

Arrest numbers tell us something about law enforcement activity, but they don't tell us everything about community safety. Other information can include reported crime trends, repeat victimization, case outcomes, and how residents experience public safety in their neighborhoods. So when a candidate proposes a public safety strategy, it's worth asking: What results would show us that it's working?

Community Trust: More Than a Uniform and a Badge

Let's talk about trust. Because having authority and earning someone's trust aren't necessarily the same thing. When asked how he would strengthen relationships with residents who have concerns about law enforcement, Barbrey acknowledged that some people have experienced frustration or distrust. He says building trust requires consistent treatment, listening, and a willingness to acknowledge when improvements are needed.

“Trust is also not something you demand. It has to be earned through consistency, transparency and how you treat people every single day.”

Barbrey says he wants deputies to interact with residents outside of enforcement situations, whether that's visiting neighborhoods, checking on businesses, attending community events, or working with young people. He also discussed building on existing community programs.

The Business Alert Program, was developed to help inform local businesses about crime trends affecting Wilson and surrounding counties. Barbrey also mentioned strengthening the SALT council, which stands for Seniors and Law Enforcement Together. Both initiatives predate his campaign. He says he wants to expand outreach to seniors, strengthen relationships with businesses, and explore establishing a Citizens Academy through the Sheriff's Office.

WOKE Explainer: What's a Citizens Academy?

A Citizens Academy is generally a program that introduces residents to how a law enforcement agency works.Participants may learn about department operations, training, policies, and the responsibilities of officers. And here's something worth knowing: Citizens Academies aren't entirely new to Wilson. The Wilson Police Department has offered its own Citizens Police Academy, including one I participated in back in 2018.Barbrey's proposal would involve exploring a similar opportunity specifically through the Wilson County Sheriff's Office, which is a separate law enforcement agency.

Wilson County also announced construction of a Sheriff's Office Tactical Training Complex in 2025. Barbrey says he wants to explore using the department's training resources to create more opportunities for citizen involvement. He also says he would continue community listening sessions throughout the county, not just during election season. And that leads us to another important part of public trust.

What happens when someone believes an employee has acted improperly?

Accountability: What Happens When Someone Files a Complaint?

Barbrey says accountability begins with leadership. He believes employees should be held to consistent professional and ethical standards, regardless of their rank or length of service.

According to his response, complaints of misconduct would be documented and investigated, employees would receive due process, and substantiated misconduct could result in disciplinary action, including termination. He also says criminal allegations would be referred to outside agencies when appropriate. But here's something I want readers to understand.

Accountability isn't just about saying employees will be held responsible. It's also about the procedures used to make that happen.

For example, residents may want to know how to file a complaint, who investigates it, whether they receive updates, and what information can legally be made public.

Those details help explain how a department's accountability system operates in practice.

Supporting the People Behind the Badge

Now, let's talk about the employees who keep the Sheriff's Office running. Because the sheriff is one person, but the department depends on deputies, detention officers, investigators, supervisors, and other staff members. When asked about recruitment and retention, Barbrey connected employee morale to leadership, communication, and workplace culture. He says he would work with county leadership to advocate for competitive salaries, benefits, and adequate staffing. He also wants to invest in training, career advancement, leadership development, and employee wellness. One part of his response focused on recruiting people who want to build long-term careers in public service.

“My goal is not to just fill vacancies. It is to recruit the right people, develop future leaders, and create an environment where good employees want to build their career and remain with our agency.”

Here's where county government comes into the conversation. The sheriff manages the department, but funding for salaries, equipment, and staffing also involves the county budget and the Board of Commissioners. So when candidates discuss increasing pay or expanding resources, it's important to understand how those proposals would be funded.

What About the County Jail?

Here's something that connects directly to Barbrey's professional background.

He began his career working in the Wilson County detention center and says he now oversees its operations as Major. So when I asked about jail conditions, inmate safety, staffing, and rehabilitation services, he approached the question from his experience working within the facility. Barbrey identified maintaining safe and humane conditions, preventing contraband, retaining detention officers, and ensuring employees have proper training and equipment as priorities. He also says he would explore partnerships with mental health professionals, substance-use treatment providers, and faith-based organizations.

WOKE Explainer: Why does this matter?

A detention center has responsibilities beyond maintaining security. It must also address the safety, health, and basic needs of people in custody while providing a safe working environment for employees. Programs that address behavioral health and substance use may also be part of efforts to reduce repeat offenses. But the availability, cost, and effectiveness of those programs depend on how they're designed and implemented.

That's why it's useful to ask what services already exist and what additional resources a candidate wants to introduce.

Politics and Public Safety: Red, Blue, or Everyone?

Now, this is one question I wanted both sheriff candidates to answer. The sheriff's race is partisan, but the responsibilities of the office extend to everyone in Wilson County.

So I asked Barbrey how he would make decisions that serve the entire community, regardless of political affiliation or background. He says his decisions would be guided by the law, facts, and public safety needs rather than political pressure or personal agendas.

And he ended his response with this:

“The law is written in black and white, not red or blue.”

Barbrey says the Sheriff's Office should serve residents regardless of who they voted for.

And that's an important point for readers to evaluate. Beyond campaign statements, what policies, procedures, and practices would help ensure residents receive fair and consistent treatment? Because public service doesn't end when the election does.

His First 100 Days: What's the Plan?

Okay, here's where Barbrey introduced a term you may have heard in business meetings or strategic planning.

SWOT analysis.

SWOT stands for:

• Strengths: What's working well?

• Weaknesses: What needs improvement?

• Opportunities: What could be done differently or better?

• Threats: What challenges could affect the department?

Barbrey says he would use this approach to evaluate the Sheriff's Office before making major changes. His first 100-day priorities focus on three areas.

First, personnel and operations. He wants to meet with employees across divisions, evaluate staffing and equipment needs, and establish expectations for leadership and performance.

Second, public safety strategies. He plans to review crime trends and assess approaches to violent crime, drug trafficking, repeat offenders, and juvenile violence.

Third, community engagement. He wants to meet with residents, businesses, schools, and community leaders to identify concerns and opportunities for improvement. His overall approach emphasizes reviewing existing operations, identifying areas that need attention, and making changes based on those findings.

And here's something worth thinking about: A first-100-days plan doesn't necessarily mean every proposed change will be completed within 100 days.

Sometimes those first months involve reviewing policies, identifying costs, meeting with stakeholders, and setting priorities. The question becomes what measurable steps residents should expect to see during that period.

So, What Did We Learn?

Barbrey's responses focused on his experience within the Wilson County Sheriff's Office and his plans to build on existing operations while evaluating areas for improvement. He identified crime prevention, employee development, community relationships, accountability, detention-center operations, and agency partnerships as priorities.

He also discussed using a SWOT analysis to guide his initial decisions if elected. But as with any candidate, proposals raise additional questions. What would change? What would stay the same? What would require additional funding? And how would residents know whether the department is making progress?

Those are questions worth asking as we evaluate the people seeking public office.

Before You Go…

And there you have it! Another WOKE Candidate Spotlight.

We've now heard from both candidates running for Wilson County Sheriff.

Bobby Knight and Brandon Barbrey were asked the same eight questions, and each shared his own experiences, concerns, and priorities for the office. Now comes your part. Read both spotlights. Look at their backgrounds. Compare what they're proposing. And don't be afraid to ask questions about the things you don't understand. Because being informed doesn't mean you have to know everything about politics or government.

Sometimes it starts with being curious enough to ask, “Okay, but what does that actually mean?” And finding out. I'm not here to tell you who to vote for. I'm here to help you understand who's running, what they're proposing, and how the decisions made in public office affect our community.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay WOKE.