ST. LANDRY PARISH — Deputy Kiley Krull didn’t expect her first day on the shooting range to change the course of her career, but that was the moment she realized she wanted more from law enforcement.
“As soon as I started I loved it. I was like no, I want more,” she said.
That drive has now pushed the 22-year-old St. Landry Parish deputy into the agency’s history books.
Out at the department’s training facility, Krull recently became the first female deputy in the recorded history of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office to qualify for the Expert Marksmanship Badge. The milestone follows months of work on the range, where she put in extra hours to build her accuracy and confidence.
“So you know, I had only started shooting a firearm at the beginning of this year," she said. "So when I say weekends, I’m talking about several. I’m talking about staying here till the sun comes down.”
Krull has been with the department for two years, starting in corrections before becoming a school resource officer at North Central High School, the same campus she once attended as a student. She said the determination behind her achievement comes not only from her goals but from the two young sons watching her career take shape.
“I wanna build a career that they can look up to, that they can be proud of and that they can say, ‘hey, my momma did that.’”
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said the benchmark highlights both Krull’s commitment and the strength of the department’s training staff, crediting Capt. Neil Whatley for designing the qualification course and Capt. Thomas Kimrey for helping deputies sharpen their skills. Krull said Kimrey—who also supervises her work as an SRO—played a major role in helping her push past doubts.
“As as female you know you don't really think, it’s like stuff for the guys, you know you’re right here, you’re never gonna get over there but as I stated training and learning I was like you know what that’s a goal that I wanna achieve,” Krull said.
Krull said the support from her department made the difference.
“They look at you as a deputy, and that’s what I love about this department," she said. "They don’t single you out because you’re a female or because you’re a male.”
Now, Krull says she hopes the path she’s carving shows other deputies—especially women—what’s possible with the right training, the right support, and a willingness to put in the work.
