By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Brandon substation has a new detective.

Paul Buhl, a former deputy, was recently promoted to the detective bureau. He has been with the substation since 2015.
“I always wanted to be a police officer,” said Buhl. “It was kind of a childhood dream of mine.”
Buhl graduated from Lake Orion High School in 1989 and went to Central Michigan University, where he studied psychology. He started out working at an engineering firm, which he did for 15 years, including working there while going to school. Following that, he went to the Oakland Police Academy and finished in the first class of 2005.
“It was neat,” said Buhl. “It was a whole new deal. It has it’s ups and downs like anything does.”
After graduating from the police academy, Buhl worked in patrol services for Oakland County Parks, then was hired in at the jail for five years in corrections, which is typical for most officers.

“It was neat in corrections,” he said. “It was a great opportunity to learn how to talk to people. Respect is big, you get a mutual respect. You’re talking to people from all walks of life.”
Buhl moved on from the jail in 2012, then served on road patrol in Lyon Township, Addison Township and Orion Township before coming to Brandon.
“There’s fewer deputies here, it’s like a family,” he said. “So it’s nice when everyone fits in and clicks together.”
Buhl is looking forward to serving in his new position, since it is a step beyond patrol.
“As a detective, I think you’re more of a victim’s advocate,” he said. “As a patrol person, you write your report and send it in, you don’t get to come full circle. So the detective is the one that sees closure for the victims and that’s one of the things that I find exciting.”