Johnston County sheriff offers unique insight into cross-deputation agreements Submitted content Law enforcement in Johnston County has been a shared responsibility between its sheriff’s department and Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police since 2006, making their cross-deputation agreement one of the first in the 13-county tribal territory. Sheriff Gary Dodd says the cooperative effort is critical for the protection of Johnston County residents and deputies alike. Dodd, a former Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police investigator, has witnessed first-hand how mutually beneficial the arrangement is from the tribal and non-tribal sides, giving him a different vantage point than most. “I’m talking to you with a unique perspective that I don’t know any other sheriff in the state has,” Dodd says. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think cross-deputization agreements are beneficial; I think they’re essential, especially after McGirt takes effect. I don’t think you’ll be able to operate effectively without it.”