Depew is losing its police chief and is struggling to find a replacement

Miller’s last day on the job will be March 14 and nobody in the department is qualified to replace him, based on civil service requirements, Mayor Kevin Peterson said.

Peterson has reached out to eight qualified candidates from other local departments, including Hamburg, West Seneca, Lancaster and Kenmore, but none have been interested in the position, he said.

This puts the village in a “difficult position,” Peterson said. According to village and state law, in the event that there is no police chief, the mayor takes over in the interim.

“What am I supposed to do? I have a full-time job,” Peterson said. “I’m the mayor of the village.”

Peterson said he plans to speak to the Erie County civil service office for guidance on what the village’s options are going forward.

Miller has been a member of the Depew Police Department for 27 years. He rose through the department ranks, starting as a patrol officer in 1997 and receiving promotions to detective and lieutenant before becoming chief in January 2019.

Before joining the Police Department, Miller spent eight years as a New York State corrections officer, he said.

“This job gave me a lot,” said Miller, who grew up in Depew. “They gave me so many opportunities here. I’m so grateful, for sure.”

Looking back at the past five years as chief, Miller said he thinks the department is in a better place than it was when he became chief. He came in with a goal to modernize the department and he believes he was successful in accomplishing that.

“When I first took over, I made a strategic plan,” he said. “We followed it like a road map and we were successful.”

Miller was the chief when Peterson became mayor in 2019. Peterson said he’s enjoyed working with Miller and has supported his vision for the department.

The…