Dearborn Names Richard Miller as New Fire Chief
Richard Miller
Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., has appointed Richard Miller, a lifelong Dearborn resident and a retiree from the city’s fire department, as Dearborn’s new fire chief.
“I’m pleased to appoint Richard Miller to the top leadership position and know that he will work well with the outstanding men and women of our Fire Department to continue to move it forward,” O’Reilly said. “His priority is my priority: to keep providing excellent public safety services to the residents of Dearborn. He also has a good understanding of how to maintain that high standard within the economic reality that all cities face today.”
Below is the press release from the City of Dearborn.
Miller retired as senior battalion chief from the Dearborn department in 2007 and moved on to high level jobs in the private sector, where he has been focused on ways to preserve efficiencies while reducing costs or generating new revenues.
Miller also has an extensive education background in fire science. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University’s School of Fire Staff and Command in 2001, from Madonna University in 1984 with a bachelor of science degree in fire science/occupational safety and health, and from Henry Ford Community College in 1980 with an associate’s degree in fire science.
He has professional certifications in many areas from the State of Michigan Firefighters Training Council, including in incident command, tactical operations and hazardous materials and is certified as a fire inspector and an emergency medical technician.
Mayor O’Reilly said he chose Miller from a pool of strong candidates because of his background with the Dearborn department, his education credentials, and his experience in the private sector.
O’Reilly said that Miller’s combined experience can provide a complementary perspective as the city continues to address financial challenges, including the need to increase efficiencies across the board, manage limited resources, and still produce desirable results.
O’Reilly also praised Dean Creech, who had been acting fire chief since the retirement of Nazih Hazime last summer. Creech had only recently become deputy chief before stepping into the larger role.
“Chief Creech has done an excellent job leading the department and preserving the high standards residents expect. I want to thank him for his dedicated and professional service to Dearborn, not only as acting chief, but throughout his entire career,” O’Reilly said. Creech is retiring on June 30.
Miller began his career as a firefighter in Dearborn in 1982, rising in the ranks as fire inspector in 1992, lieutenant in 1998, captain in 2002 and senior battalion chief in 2004.
In 2007, he was hired as the Operations Manager for K & S services in Southgate, where he managed 19 electronic repair technicians, directed the shipping and receiving department and supervised safety and building maintenance.
In 2009, he joined RAMCO Gershenson (REIT) in Farmington Hills as Operations Manager in the Retail Maintenance Services Division. He directed and reorganized the corporate maintenance division by analyzing logistical changes that increase profits and reduce costs, and initiated new revenue programs.
Miller is a lifelong Dearborn resident and has volunteered for the Burn Drive, Dearborn Goodfellows, Meals on Wheels and Divine Child Parish.
He is expected to start his new job as fire chief very shortly. According to the Dearborn City Charter, the mayor recommends a salary for the fire chief, and that recommendation must be approved by the City Council. The Council is expected to meet soon on the matter.
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Congratulations to the new Chief, and best of luck to Chief Creech in retirement.
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Thank heavens he lives in the city – congrats. to both men.
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Big fella you finally appointed a resident who is going to be positive for not only the City but the fire dept. as well. It’s about time big guy, now get the police chief to become a resident, as he is making you look like a fool — is our city not up to his standards?
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:46 pm
He’s a really nice guy and a great hire for this position.
June 24th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Jamie- seriously does it really matter where a guy lives? I want the best- if they live here great- if not- at least we have the best. The guy seems to be doing a good job
June 24th, 2010 at 10:26 am
Does he still get his retirement pay on top of his salary?
June 24th, 2010 at 10:50 am
sm1968. Wonder where you get your information? Either the Chief has bad policies OR the Mayor does and the Chief does not stand up to him. It may be a combination of both.
June 24th, 2010 at 11:12 am
I have a better solution for Haddad. How about instead of making him move here, we find someone who is already here to take his place?!
June 24th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I second that one LifeLong!
June 24th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
when the mayor was asked about the chiefs residence, his response was, is it really in the charter and when it was offered to show it to him, he said never mind and that he had given the chief and extension. lets see it s almost been two years, wonder how long the entension goes on and on and on. no the mayor is forcing out two other top cops, where does it end. unfortunatley it is gonna end with bad things for this department and the citizens of this city just keep getting short changed over and over and over. you might as well not have a city council either, because all they are good for is blowing wind. they talk to your face as if they are concerned but then bury their heads in the sand. its disgusting to see this department wasting away.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Concerned Cop: What can we do to help?
June 25th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
iT DOES MATTER IF THE HIRE LIVES IN OUR CITY, BECAUSE HE WILL TAKE MORE PRIDE IN HIS JOB, WITH A VESTED INTEREST, AT LEAST I BELIE SO.
June 25th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Folks,
I assume the reason for Chief Haddad not moving into the city has everything to do with the real estate values being messed up. Can anyone verify this? If he owes more than he can sell the house for, it would stall everything.
If this is NOT the case, then there is no reason for Haddad not to move into the city. I think that, even more than other positions, the police and fire chiefs should live here. They should live under the umbrella of their own protection.
June 26th, 2010 at 4:40 am
i have been reading a lot of comments concerning the residences of officers and firemen in the past few months…yes, i would prefer that employees on the city’s dime lived in and returned their earnings and pride into the city they protect…however, my wonderful neighbors and i obtained a fireman as a nieghbor in the grindley park sub in the early winter months…after the snow thawed his yard revealed the trash piles that were burried underneath from his move…he doesn’t cut his grass (we cut the front when he’s not home)…he speeds down the street that is filled with kids…and is absiolutely rude and obnoxious…now, i don’t wish that we replace him with someone from outside the city, but certainly wouldn’t mind if he went elsewhere and was replaced by a resident who has probably already applied for a job in his or her hometown…
June 26th, 2010 at 6:39 am
I suppose Chief Haddad could have rented out his other house and moved into Dearborn.
I guess the bigger question is regardless if he lives in the city or not is he a “perfect fit” for the City of Dearborn. I’m hearing alot of negative things and not alot of positive about the Police Chief.
June 26th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
I don’t believe there is any room for debate here. A police chief should reside in the city he protects for a multitide of reasons. He whould WANT to. I don’t think there is any good reason for him to live elsewhere.
As for the decline in real estate value, that’s everywhere. If his house is less value, he can surely find many great homes in Dearborn which have also lost value.
June 27th, 2010 at 9:33 am
I think we might as well face it, he is going to live wherever he wants to.
June 28th, 2010 at 11:37 am
Deep – there needs to be an impartial investigation on behalf of the Dearborn citizens to understand what we are getting with the police chief.
1. What’s the deal with why the city charter in not being upheld?
2. What policies has he enacted since taking over, and what are the results?
3. Where’s NOreilly with all of this? Does he just bully his way around the discusssion?
Personally, I don’t know enough about these answers to form an opinion on the subject, but it seems abundantly clear to me that the citizens should be made aware of such concerns as there appears to be a decent level of concern/criticism.
July 1st, 2010 at 10:57 am
It may well be in the cities charter that the police and fire chief must reside within the city, but it needs to be updated. The state law on this matter changed 20 years ago stating that residency can no longer be a requirement. I am curiuos to know if any of you who complain the most about this, actually live within the city in which you are employed? If not, maybe you too should be asked to move. Perhaps it would make you more dedicated you your employer if you lived within the city in which you worked. How easy would it be, or how would you feel if your employer told you that they have decided that they want all of their employees to move into the city they work in? Would you just put a for sale sign on your front lawn and start packing? How easy would it be for you to uproot yourself from your current neighborhood, sell your home, purchase a new home? Maybe we should ask teachers to move as well. Do you think that a teacher would be more dedicated to her students if she lived within the same city in which he/she taught? Because that is basically what you are saying. None of you have any idea what it takes to become a police officer or a firefighter. They don’t get involved with the job because of where they want to live. It is about the job, not the city. A dedicated employee is going to be a dedicated employee regardless of their address. Working within a city and getting to know the community through employment is how police and fire learn about the values of that community. They probably learn more about a community through the contact they have than most people who live w
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Brakesmom-
The State law did change, but department heads are different. They are appointed and can have more stringent requirements for the job. Just as Warren requires department heads to drive Big 3 cars.
Do I think teachers would be more dedicated to the school they teach in if they live in the community, if their kids are educated by their co-workers? Of course I do! That is a no brainer to me and completely undermined your arugument.
I think there is nothing wrong with asking people to be dedicated to their employer. Does that always mean living in the City in which the employer is based? No, that is different, I do think it is important to use the service you provide. If you work for a car company, you should drive that brand of car. If you build computers, you should purchase those computers. Why work for a company you can not belive in. As a firefighter who has lived in the City I serve since I was hired believe it is important especially for department heads to live in the City they are sworn to protect. I do understand the logistics that come into play with living in the City or moving for a job, but the chief has the right to not accept a job. You erode my trust when you will say you will do something and then dont. That is where my issue is.