Colonel JoAnn D. Johnson retired from the Illinois State Police in 2018 after 29 years of dedicated service. She began her law enforcement career in 1989 as a Trooper with the Illinois State Police (ISP) in the Chicagoland area. During her tenure with the department, she worked Patrol, General Criminal Investigations, and Narcotics Investigations. Colonel Johnson served as the Operations Lieutenant in Patrol, the Curriculum Section Supervisor at the ISP training academy, and the Chief of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. She was appointed as Lieutenant Colonel of the Division of Internal Investigation in 2013 and was later appointed to Colonel of that division in 2016 where she served until her retirement.

She is a graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, School of Police Staff and Command Class #282. Additionally, Colonel Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University. 

Colonel Johnson’s current role is as a Master National Instructor for Fair & Impartial Policing, LLC. In this role she travels around the country training law enforcement officers, city, state and federal employees, and private security specialists in the science of implicit bias. JoAnn currently resides in Springfield with her husband, two daughters and their spoiled Doberman Pincher. Colonel Johnson is an avid runner and cross-fitter having completed over 20 half-marathons and 3 full marathons.

In August of 2024, Colonel Johnson was appointed co-chair of The Massey Commission, which was established in response to the tragic killing of Sonya Massey by a former Sangamon County (IL) deputy in July 2024.  The commission is committed to leading a process for the community to listen, learn and act to prevent further tragedies.