Chief of Police Shilo Bruhl

by Mimi Greenwood Knight

Blazing a New Trail in Folsom

SHILO BRUHL JOKES that she still doesn’t know what she wants to be “when she grows up.” For now, she’s happy breaking glass ceilings and paving the way for other women in her chosen field of law enforcement.

Throughout this country, only one in ten police officers are women. The number of female police chiefs is considerably lower. Yet, Bruhl began 2022 being sworn in as the firstever female chief of police in the Village of Folsom (only the second in St. Tammany Parish history). She got where she is, however, not because there was a quota to be filled, but through years of hard work and dedication, beginning with the Folsom Police Department as a secretary and learning the job as she went.

As a person of faith, Bruhl also credits her success—in this and every aspect of her life—to God’s plan. “God gave me a servant’s heart,” she says. “Whatever He puts in front of me I want to do with all my ability.” That “whatever” has run the gamut for Bruhl from teacher to full-time mom, from administrative assistant to beloved school resource officer, from beat cop to her new role heading up the Folsom Police Department. In between, she attended the police academy at almost 40, surrounded by men and women half her age.

“My son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes and hospitalized while I was in school,” Bruhl says. “So, I was working 40-hour weeks, going to the police academy at night and spending every second I could at Children’s Hospital with him.” To spite all the challenges, the week before her 40th birthday, Bruhl walked across the stage to graduate from the police academy, manned her gear and hit the streets on patrol for Mardi Gras week.

One of her first posts as an officer was a security detail at the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse in Covington. There, she worked with Deputy Laura Aucoin, who says, “We worked together this past year during Hurricane Ida and at the courthouse during the height of the COVID pandemic. Bruhl always has a smile on her face and always thoroughly enjoys her days. She makes everyone around her smile and laugh. It definitely makes our days better. When I heard she was appointed chief, I knew she’d do great. She loves the citizens of the village.”

Bruhl’s ever-present smile was an asset during her years as a school resource officer at Folsom Elementary School. She says, “Most people don’t realize all school resource officers are also criminal patrol officers. We have to be road certified before we qualify to be an SRO. Then, when the kids are out of school, we’re back on the street with the crime patrol unit. We were on patrol the whole time the schools were closed due to COVID.”

But when she is at the school, Bruhl is 100 percent devoted to the faculty and students. Julie Sciortino, principal at Folsom Elementary School, says, “She’s probably the most beloved person in the Village of Folsom and especially at our schools. She makes it a point to learn every kid’s name and always greet them with a smile or hug. You could find her on any day on the playground laughing with the kids or jumping rope. The kids call her ‘Miss Officer Bruhl.’”

During her time at the school, Bruhl took it upon herself to launch a program recognizing kids who performed random acts of kindness. “She got the rewards for the kids herself,” Sciortino says. “And she not only rewarded the kids who displayed the acts of kindness, but the kids who nominated them as well. She loved to do things for the faculty and staff, like surprise us with snacks and drinks. Then, she’d push a cart from room to room handing out treats and just generally making everybody’s day brighter. She still comes by all the time, never misses an honor roll breakfast or award ceremony. Or we’ll look out on the playground and see her with a group of 20 kids around her in one giant embrace.”

Holly Menheim, who knew Bruhl during her 4th- and 5th-grade years at Folsom Elementary, says “She was always someone we could relate to. She’d come eat lunch with us, almost every day, and talk to us about how our day was going. We talked about everything with her, and she’d listen to whatever was happening in our lives. She was that way for everybody, just super involved, playing games with us on the playground and letting us know she was there, if we ever needed her.”

Kids growing up in Folsom today know a police officer who’s approachable, who makes them feel heard and seen and like a valuable member of our community. What a great attitude to take into any leadership position, but especially one where people’s lives and safety are your main concern. “Respect for people is so important in this job,” says Bruhl. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done. As a Christian, I know all God gives me that I don’t deserve, including a wonderful husband of 27 years who supports me in everything I do. I wanted the kids to understand why an SRO is at their school. I told them, ‘We’re here to keep you safe and because we love you.’ Some of them have family members in jail. I wanted them to understand people who go to jail aren’t bad people. They’re people who’ve done something wrong, just like when you go to detention. I want to give them a positive experience with a police officer. I want them to know how much I love them. When they see me, I want them to think, ‘There’s my friend, Officer Bruhl.’”

She was at Folsom Elementary the day she received a call from then Folsom Police Chief Beau Killingsworth. “He was about to retire, after 27 years, and wanted me to take his place. I actually laughed when he said it. He said, ‘Shilo, you know the job, and you’re well rounded. You ran this place with me when you were here.’ I can’t thank Beau enough that he thinks that much of me.”

Chief Bruhl at her regular Monday community meeting at the Giddy Up.

Killingsworth says he had no doubt Bruhl could do the job and do it well. “Shilo knows the ins and outs of this department. She works well with people. It’s not just about putting people in jail. You need to be able to work with everyone, be approachable and be able to work with the community, and that’s where Shilo does so well. She’s got an experienced group of guys—the most experienced police department we’ve ever had—and we’re still growing. Her time at the sheriff’s office and the contacts she has there will be a huge help. She’s going to do fine. I have every confidence in her.” Bruhl also had the enthusiastic support of Folsom Mayor Lance Willie and was unanimously approved by the village’s board of aldermen.

April Narretto has been Bruhl’s closest friend since junior high. Although she admits law enforcement wasn’t initially a career she saw her friend choosing, once she did, Narretto knew she’d give it 100 percent. “Shilo has such a great work ethic and an even bigger heart,” she says. “It doesn’t matter who you are; she’s going to treat you with respect. She has a way with people and especially kids. When we’re out somewhere and one of ‘her kids’ spot her, you should see their faces light up. She loves them all. The Folsom Elementary kids were so lucky to have her, and she loved being there. It was a hard choice for her to leave. But now the Village of Folsom is just as lucky to have her as chief of police.”

Folsom business owner Frank Richerand appreciates that Bruhl is eager to stay visible around the village. “She attends our monthly community breakfast meetings and is always happy to meet with the citizens and hear what they have to say,” he says. “She’s always got a smile on her face and genuinely engages with whoever she’s talking to. I’m hearing good things from other police officers, too. They respect her and the job she’s doing.”

Deputy Paul Blair is one of those officers. Starting his 38th year in law enforcement, Blair has been with the Folsom PD the last four and a half. He’s second in command after Chief Bruhl. “She’s going to do great,” he says of his new police chief. “I’m at the end of my career, and I see my job now as making sure Shilo succeeds at everything she does. There’s a learning curve here for both of us. But she’s smart, and she’s willing to learn. She’s not afraid to ask questions or to ask for help. There will be bumps ahead, but we’ll have fun overcoming them together. This village absolutely adores their police officers.”

The feeling is mutual. Bruhl says, “I don’t think anyone is going to love this village like I love this village. I have a big heart for kids and such a connection with this community. I know most every child in town and think of them as my own. These kids are the future of this village, and I feel blessed to be serving them and their families, for as long as I’m in this position.”