Vernon Johnson was born and raised in Maryland and moved to Nashville after serving seven years in the U.S. Army, where he obtained the rank of Sergeant before being honorably discharged in 1997. That same year Vernon was hired by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, where he served on the Flex and Crime Suppression Units before being promoted to Sergeant. After 13 years with the police department, Vernon worked for the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan protecting U.S. personnel abroad. Vernon received his B.A. in Management and M.B.A. from Trevecca Nazarene University. Vernon is also a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Leadership at Trevecca.

Vernon enjoys spending time with his family; he is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and collects football cards as a hobby.