After a combined 61 years of service, MPD honors the Budreau's

MEDFORD, Ore. —Only on NBC5 News, two Medford Police officers are hanging up their uniforms and badges after decades of service to the city. The married couple is even retiring together, on the same day, Thursday.

When Kimberly and Mike Budreau began their careers in law enforcement in the nineties, they never would have imagined they’d find their best friend and life partner. This week, the two retired after a combined 61 years of service at MPD. Here’s how their love story came to be.

“All units standby for a special broadcast, on behalf of ECSO and the Medford Police Department we wish to thank Lt. Mike Budreau and Sgt, Kimberly Budreau for their many years of service to citizens of Medford.”

For Kimberly and Mike Budreau, joining law enforcement was something they always wanted to do, for very different reasons. “Just that desire to be a police officer was super strong,” said Sgt. Kim Budreau. “It appealed to me having every single day be really unique, having an exciting career where you can help people and drive really fast with sirens,” said Lt. Mike Budreau.

30 years ago, Kimberley started as a Police Explorer with the city of Medford. She then became a Community Service Officer and Bike Cadet, before finally being promoted to a Police Officer at age 21. She’s also the first woman in MPD history to be appointed a Sergeant. Along the way, she met Mike.

“We basically started a year apart and we were very young in our career so generally we were gonna work the weekend graveyard shift, we become friends, got in our first fight with someone large and intoxicated, which was eye-opening and we just experienced a lot together,” said Sgt. Kim Budreau.

At some point, their friendship became something more.

“I remember one day he asked me if I wanted to go on his boat and I wasn’t a boater and so I thought I am going to get my hair wet, but I’ll go and what that led to was just a really nice relationship,” said Sgt. Kim Budreau.

Both grew up in Medford. Kim went to South. Mike went to North. He started as an MPD Police Explorer when he was only 17. Since becoming a sworn officer in 94, he’s done just about everything position he could.

“I did 9 years as a Patrol Officer, I was on the SWAT Team, I was a Training Officer then I was promoted to Corporal, then I became a detective for a time and did child abuse investigations, I came out of that as a Sergeant did that for a year and a half then I became a Lieutenant,” said Lieutenant Mike Budreau.

While he held many hats for most of the last decade he’s been the agency’s public information officer. You might recognize him, as he gets about as much air time as some of our anchors.

“There was a time where the PIO duties were almost full time like it was really active it was something I was doing daily, so a lot of people became to know me and I got recognized when I went out,” he said.

The two call each other their best friend. Married now for 22 years, their wedding was a huge deal at MPD. Not just for them, but because it was what Mike calls a dual wedding. Now-police Chief Justin Ivens and his wife, Kathryn who also was an MPD officer at the time, shared the ceremony.

“It was just one of those things that happened and it turned out to be a really good thing,” said Sgt. Kimberly Budreau.

Now after 61 combined years serving southern Oregon, the two are turning in their badges Thursday, ready for their next chapter. Wednesday the two were honored by their large MPD family. Emergency dispatch even gave them a special send-off, with one final radio call on the police scanner.

“You two leave a very large hole to fill and will both be extremely missed, congrats on your retirement and we wish you continued success as you sail into the next chapter of your lives.”

The two are wasting no time, they’re leaving the valley with their RV to travel the country and then hopefully, the world.

From all of us at NBC5 News, we wish them the very best in their exciting future together and thank them for all they’ve done for us, and our community.