"Serving with Pride"

Spring/Summer, 2008

Dear Palos Park Resident:
As we welcome spring & summer, the men and women of the Palos Park Police Department gear up for the variety of summer programs and initiatives we offer: Bike Safety Programs, which includes our Bike Helmet give away program, Child Safety Seat Inspections, as well as foot and bike patrols. During the summer and fall months, Palos Park Police officers will be taking part in outdoor and rolling roll calls for the officers working patrol. The premise of the program is to utilize a public setting and enhance visibility during the down time officers spend exchanging information and designating assignments.

Police Chief , Joe Miller

We continue to work on a number of approaches to re-deploy resources to better focus on traffic safety and community awareness issues. We are always testing various concepts and campaigns to address traffic safety across the board. Please keep in mind, traffic safety starts with the driver of the vehicle!

Our agency is a full service law enforcement agency with twenty-nine sworn officers who patrol the village twenty-four hours a day. We staff our field officers predicated on peak days and times when we need the most staff available. We utilize Southwest Central Dispatch, which has an Enhanced 911 system; they also serve the Palos Fire Protection District.

We are currently working on a number of initiatives, including another recruitment drive for our Senior Volunteer Service program, which is looking for several new members. This program taps into the wealth of knowledge offered by many of our retired residents to assist our clerical staff.

Some of the programs we offer include Child Safety Fingerprinting, a Police Cadet program for teens, an Emergency Service and Disaster Agency (E.S.D.A.) plan, a Vacation Watch program, Home Safety checks, The “You are Not Alone” program which provides for senior well-being checks and the File for Life program. We also offer a Senior Safety I.D. Bracelet program and a volunteer Citizen on Patrol Service (COPS).

We work very closely with the Orland Park and Palos Heights Police Departments; we also train jointly with their officers. We are part of the Southwest Suburban Major Case Unit and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. Our Mounted Unit continues to be a welcome addition to our operational abilities and they will again be patrolling the village during the warmer months.

The Palos Park Police Department is a dedicated service oriented organization and we place quality service first and foremost. Please feel free to call, stop in, or e-mail Chief Miller at jmiller@palospark.org. This is your community, get involved!

Sincerely,
Dan Polk, Police Commissioner Joe Miller, Chief of Police
 

Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller began his career in policing while still in high school.  In the late 1970’s he became a police cadet and attained the rank of Cadet Captain.   

After graduating from Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Joe worked for the Chicago Police Department in their Data Systems Unit.  While attending college, Joe started as a dispatcher with the Orland Park Police Department and became an Orland Park officer in the early 1980’s.  Joe attended recruit training at the Cook County Sheriff’s Academy. 

During his career Joe has worked as a Juvenile officer, Truck Enforcement officer, Arson investigator, detective, patrol sergeant, lieutenant, commander and deputy chief.  In the summer of 1992 Joe became the Chief of Police in Orland Hills, Illinois where he served for six years. 

Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal-SocialJustice from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Lewis University and a Master of Business Administration from Saint Xavier University in Chicago.  He is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, Northwestern’s Executive Management Program, the F.B.I.’s Law Enforcement Executive Development program, DePaul University’s Human Resource Management program and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University’s Executive Management training.