Our Police Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller began his career in policing while still in high school. While still in high school, Joe became a police cadet and attained the rank of Cadet Captain. He has remained a big proponent of the Law Enforcement Exploring and cadet programs.

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 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-Social Justice 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.

In addition, he is also 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.

Joe currently teaches criminology and management courses at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, IL and Lewis University in Romeoville, IL. Joe is the past president of the 5th District Police Chiefs Association and past president of the Greater Cook County Council of Police Chiefs.

In the past several years, Joe has completed the Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business, Intercultural Management program focused on principled centered business practices and in 2014 he completed The Rutgers University Business School Human Resource Law “Best Practices” program.

In the spring 2016 Joe completed the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business Executive Education program on talent utilization. In the fall of 2018 Joe began the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point program on employment law, hiring, evaluating and managing employees as an executive.

In 2019 Police Chief Miller participated in Universiteit Leiden Terrorism and Counterterrorism program on theory, practice and looking at terrorism policy through analysis and what theories, assumptions and conventional wisdom at The Hague, Netherlands. Spring 2020 Chief Joe Miller will attend the Texas A&M University Extension program on Active Attack Event Response Leadership for police leaders. The program focuses on strategies to ensure the agency is prepared to respond to active attack events. Reviewing training with high-level guidelines for developing and evaluating the police agency’s culture, policies, and ability to respond to complex, unfolding active threats.