Patti Buhl is a lifelong Tahlequah resident and a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Patti is married, has a son and a three legged cat named Salem. Patti is a former Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety from which she retired in 2020 after 26 years in law enforcement. Patti is also the former Missing and Murdered Persons Coordinator (MMIP) for all three United States Attorney Districts in Oklahoma. Patti has a Bachelor and Master’s Degree from Northeastern State University and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.