After nearly 40 years in public service—and more than 30 with the Folsom Police Department—Chief Rick Hillman is officially hanging up his badge this week. His career has been defined by dedication, deep community ties, and a fierce love for the city he calls home. Folsom Times recently spent an afternoon with Hillman, where he reflected on his career where its high point certainly contributed to shaping Folsom’s public safety culture.
Hillman’s local legacy will be one known of refined leadership and enduring service. For retiring 60-year-old, the City of Folsom is more than just a place of work for Hillman—it’s home and will continue to be.
“My entire family lives in Folsom. My kids live in Folsom. They’re all married. They have kids. I have eight grandkids. We actually all live in the same neighborhood. So we’re over at each other’s houses all the time,” Hillman shared. “That’s going to keep me busy and continue to keep me busy because it already has, just doing all the stuff that we do as grandparents and parents.”
He didn’t always plan to put down roots in Folsom. Hillman said he initially took the job because it was close to his home in Placerville, offered better pay, and came with professional opportunities he didn’t see elsewhere. “About five years after joining the department, we moved the family here and haven’t looked back,” he said.
Hillman had had previous discussions about a possible retirement date last year with then-City Manager Elaine Andersen. When current City Manager Bryan Whitemyer arrived in March, Hillman waited about a month before notifying him—giving time for Whitemyer to settle in and handle the departure of another department head. It’s a reflection of Hillman’s careful, team-oriented leadership style.
“It really was just a date I finally ended up having to pick,” he said. “When I’ve got so many years in our retirement system, the date didn’t matter. I wasn’t trying to reach a certain point. I just wanted to finish out the budget process and pick a date that made sense. “From a financial standpoint, I could have done this years ago, but I stayed because I liked it. I love this job, I really, I do. I love the people here.”
The city is has announced that Randy Ulibarri will serve as Interim Police Chief following Hillman’s departure, this will be the second time Ulibarri has filled the interim role in Folsom. Hillman has also offered to assist with any transition needs with whoever is recruited and selected as the new chief if needed.
Hillman’s journey began in 1985 in Placerville. It was those early days when he first began truly engaging with a community, which has been a huge part of his entire career.
“I was walking a beat every day up and down Main Street, meeting business owners and building relationships,” he recalled.
After a stint with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, he joined Folsom Police in 1995 as a lateral officer. That same year, he joined the SWAT team and became a field training officer—an unusually fast progression for someone new to the department. A year later, he became a K-9 officer and worked with his partner Rommel for six years before earning a promotion to sergeant.
Hillman advanced steadily through roles in patrol, investigations, special investigations, internal affairs, and eventually rose to lieutenant, commander, and finally chief—a position he’s held for the past seven years.
“I’ve worked everything here, I was truly blessed to have that opportunity.” he said.
In addition to patrol duties, he served as a dispatcher and recalls the very old system that was in place at the time. “They didn’t have a CAD system then. We used time-stamped cards and read them over the radio. Things have really changed today.”
During his tenure, Hillman introduced major technological upgrades, including body-worn cameras, in-car camera systems, and traffic cameras. He also advocated for the use of drones during emergencies and missing person searches.
“If we have a drone that can get there first and scope it out and we say, hey, we better send more cars, then we’re able to act quickly and more appropriately.”
Folsom Times photos by Bill Sullivan
He underscored the importance of using these tools responsibly. “We’re not patrolling people’s backyards. We’re using them for specific cases where they help us keep people safe.”
Hillman cites that the Folsom Police Department stands apart because of its people and culture.
“The staff here want to make a difference. Dispatchers will help callers even beyond their job description because they care,” he said. “Somebody calls for help and they provide the help when it’s really not their job—but they’ll help if they can.”
He emphasized creating a positive environment through events like Family Day to build morale. “If you feel good about coming to work, you’re going to feel good about the work you do. I want our officers treating people right all the time. I want to treat people with respect.”
One of Hillman’s proudest contributions in his role, outside of fighting crime has been what the department calls the Santa Project.
“I’ve been doing that for 30 years. We use a sleigh on a police truck, go through every part of the city, handing out candy canes. Our families volunteer. My kids used to ride along; now they’re doing the same with their kids.”
For Hillman, the Santa Project was where he has witnessed a real connection between the community and the police through the years.
“The Santa Project is probably our biggest one, where we make the biggest connection in our community,” he said. “It’s just a great thing. And there’s a great connection there.”
Hillman has watched the department and society evolve. While countless changes have taken place in police work locally and abroad, he cited social media as the most significant change in law enforcement.
“People want real-time updates, but we don’t have round-the-clock staffing like large agencies,” he said. “We try to share what we can without compromising investigations.”
“We have to be cautious about what we’re doing and what we’re putting out because we don’t want to jeopardize other ongoing investigations. And it’s not that we’re trying to hold back from our community, it’s we’re trying to do right by our community,” he added.
Hillman drew a contrast between Folsom’s proactive community ties and the struggles faced by departments during national unrest.
“After the George Floyd protests, some departments scrambled to connect with their communities. We’ve always done that in Folsom. We’ve always just been close.”
While he has been one of the longest in the position, Hillman explained her never aimed to be a chief.
“I loved being out in the field. But when Chief Cindy Renaud announced her departure, I told her I’d consider it. City Manager Everett Palmer at the time knew my work and offered me the position.”
As chief, Hillman served on the state’s Homeland Security Committee, the CLETS Advisory Committee, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police Homeland Security Committee. He worked closely with the FBI and other partners to ensure Folsom’s strategies were integrated regionally and nationally.
“If Folsom doesn’t have a voice, things happen that affect us without our input,” he said.
Though stepping away, Hillman says he’s not done serving.
“I’d like to come back as a retired annuitant to help with traffic or special events. I’m not so old I can’t do the job,” he said. He’s also open to supporting the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department in a part-time role.
Hillman’s service was formally recognized Tuesday night by the Folsom City Council with a Resolution of Commendation presented by Mayor Sarah Aquino.
“Chief Hillman’s career has been marked by a deep commitment to public service, strong community partnerships, and an unwavering dedication to keeping Folsom a safe place to live, work, and visit,” Aquino said. “On behalf of the City Council and the residents of this community, we extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude for his exemplary service, leadership, and contributions to the Folsom community.”
City Manager Bryan Whitemyer added, “He has provided steady leadership during his time as Police Chief and shown a strong commitment to public safety and the Folsom community. We thank him for his many contributions to the organization and wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Hillman’s final week includes a farewell event with city staff and police employees on Friday. On Saturday, he will serve one last time in uniform, assisting with the annual Historic Folsom Hometown Parade—one final act of service before officially signing off on Monday.
For Hillman, if his legacy has to be described in three words they would be service, humility, and heart. The department, the city and the community will miss those attributes, however, he assures everyone that he isn’t going anywhere and you will be seeing him around.
“I’m staying here. I’ll still be around—at games, graduations, whatever’s happening in town. I love this community.”
And much of the community has grown to love him back through the years.
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