Folsom welcomes first female Police Chief

Folsom, Calif. – Folsom City Manager Kerry Miller today announced the appointment of Cynthia Renaud as Police Chief.  Renaud is currently a Commander with the City of Long Beach Police Department.  She will assume her new duties on May 2, with an annual salary of $178,992. 

 “Commander Renaud competed successfully in a very rigorous recruitment process for the Police Chief position,” says Miller.  “She brings a wealth of experience, talent and expertise to our organization and we are pleased to welcome her as Folsom’s first female Police Chief.”

“Cindy has served as Incident Commander at multiple high-risk events, including officer-involved shootings, barricaded suspects and SWAT call-outs.”

Kerry Miller

About 200 women serve as police chiefs in the United States, according to an article in this month’s Police Chief Magazine. That number represents about one percent of all police chiefs and sheriffs across the nation. 

Renaud is a 19-year veteran of the Long Beach Police force.  She joined that department as an officer and progressed through the ranks to commander.  She currently oversees 104 detectives, 19 civilians, seven non-career employees and a $15.5 million budget, and supervises Property Crimes, Family Services, Youth Services and Vice.  In her prior assignment, she served as Commander of the East Long Beach Patrol Division, with 144 sworn officers serving a population of 200,000 in a 26-square-mile area.

“Cindy has served as Incident Commander at multiple high-risk events, including officer-involved shootings, barricaded suspects and SWAT call-outs,” says Miller.  “In addition, she was a collaborator and instructor in implementing the Community Oriented Public Safety philosophy within her department.”

Miller noted that Renaud’s supervisors and peers all spoke very highly about her professionalism and leadership.  “She is a team-oriented consensus builder and problem solver who earned the respect of all,” says Miller.  “Many remarked on her intelligence, integrity, decisiveness and responsiveness to the community.”

Renaud has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, and also holds a prestigious master’s degree in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.  She attended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in Quantico, Va. in 2003.

“I am honored to be selected as Folsom’s next Police Chief,” said Renaud.  “During the past several months I have met many members of this Department and have been extremely impressed with the energy and pride with which they perform their duties.  While I am looking forward to working with them and all of the city departments who serve Folsom, I am equally excited to have my family become part of this community.” Renaud will soon move to Folsom with her husband Steve and daughter Bryn.

Miller thanked Interim Police Chief Randy Ulibarri for his service to the Folsom community during the past five months.  “Chief Ulibarri’s tremendous expertise, professionalism and character were of immeasurable value to our organization during this transition period.”