Officer Daryl Johnson was born in Sterling, Illinois, and raised in Milledgeville, Illinois, as one of 10 children. He graduated from Milledgeville High School in 2009 and completed two semesters at Highland Community College in Freeport, Illinois, studying Computer Technology before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2010 as an Infantryman. Stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, he deployed to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012. After completing his active-duty contract, he transitioned to the Army Reserves with plans to reclassify as Military Police, ultimately receiving an honorable discharge in early 2018.

Following active duty, Officer Johnson returned to Illinois with his family. In 2014, he enrolled at Sauk Valley Community College, earning an Associate degree in Law Enforcement in 2016. During this time, he interned with the Polo Police Department and served with the Polo Fire Department from 2015 until early 2022. He later pursued a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and justice administration (with a minor in Fire Science) at Western Illinois University.

His law enforcement career accelerated in 2021 when he was hired by the Freeport Police Department and graduated from the Southwestern Illinois Police Academy in Belleville. He soon returned to his hometown to serve with the Milledgeville Police Department (late 2021 to early 2023), during which he also rode along with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. In early 2023, Officer Johnson relocated to Dinosaur, Colorado, where he served as a Deputy Marshal and completed an 11-day POST refresher academy in Highlands Ranch to obtain his Colorado certification.

Officer Johnson is married and has two daughters and one son. He is proud to bring his military service, diverse law enforcement experience, and commitment to public safety to the Rangely community.