Art Miller | A Tribute to our Departing Police Chief

Touching farewell honors former South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller, who has left the city for Peoria, Arizona, to hold down the same position.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller addresses large crowd in the War Memorial Building during his farewell reception.

South Pasadena’s departing police chief has mastered the art of humility, deflecting the attention away from himself and placing it on others.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Art Miller, who has departed South Pasadena to become the new police chief in Peoria, Arizona, is joined by organizers of the farewell reception – Ellen Daigle, Janet Braun and Mary Urquhart.

When all eyes were on Art Miller as he began his farewell speech during a reception in his honor earlier this month at the War Memorial Building, his eyes were on those wearing South Pasadena Police Department uniforms, saying any success he may have achieved over the past 5 1/2 years as the city’s police chief was a tribute to the men and women working under him.

They’re the ones who got the job done day in and day out, insisted the man who guided the department, and has left for Arizona and soon will be sworn in as the City of Peoria’s newest police chief.

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PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Former South Pasadena Police Chief Dan Watson was the emcee of the Art Miller Farewell Reception. He talked about his friendship with his good friend during the event at the War Memorial Building.

“It’s a great day for our police department,” he told a crowd of some 200, including fellow officers, many of the highest rank. Joining police chiefs were elected officials, residents, and family members, all paying respect for Miller’s outstanding work over the years.

“I’m the spokesperson for our department, the one who gets up and says all the great things our department and our city does,” said Miller, quick to recognize the work of his fellow officers. “I’d be foolish to think I was the main driving force behind it.”

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | The Miller family – Art, Linda and son Rick.

Miller will take away the memories of leading the local department, knowing others had the utmost respect for his ability as a strong leader. During the two-hour event, about a dozen speakers, from Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore to South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe, lavished Miller with praise for his expertise, hard work ethic and commitment to providing the highest level of service to the community.

“I’d like to think that I’m humble,” Miller said, “but one thing I’m very, very proud of is, and I’m not too humble about it, we have a fantastic organization in South Pas. It has been a great opportunity here.”

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Janet Braun, representing the city’s Public Safety Commission, say “Thanks for the Memories,” using her own lyrics to sum up the goodness Art Miller brought to the city.

A 35-year career in law enforcement at the Los Angeles Police Department set the stage for Miller’s first stint as a police chief. As he says goodbye to the city, his contributions to the city will hardly be forgotten.

Among the other speakers at the reception were Brian Solinsky, South Pasadena’s acting chief of police; Police Corporal Avick Manukian, president of the South Pasadena Police Officers’ Association; John Incontro, police chief for City of San Marino; Commander Steve Katz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Monterey Park Chief of Police Jim Smith, on behalf of the California Police Chiefs Association; South Pasadena Mayor Dr. Richard Schneider, Mayor Pro Tem Marina Khubesrian, and current and former city Public Safety Commissioners Ellen Daigle, Mary Urquhart and Janet Braun, who organized the event along with the members of the South Pasadena Police Officers Association (SPOA) and Dan Watson, a former police chief in the city, a longtime friend of the Miller family and emcee of the reception.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Among the speakers acknowledging Art Miller’s outstanding work was Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore.

“Art is just one of those all-time great guys,” said Watson of the man so many admire. “He will be sorely missed.”

Braun showcased her singing talents when it was her tune at the microphone, changing the words to the late Bob Hope’s signature song “Thanks for the Memories,” with her own interpretation of the lyrics to reflect the goodness Miller brought to the city. It received a rousing ovation.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Departing South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller unwraps a gift from the city’s mayor pro tem, Dr. Marina Khubesrian

“Janet, had I known you were going to sing, I would have delayed my leaving another year or two,” Miller quipped, prompting laughter from the roomful of guests.

“No, it was great,” he was pointed out following the performance.

During a poignant moment in the program, Miller called Solinsky to the front and presented the acting chief with the five stars he had prominently displayed on his police uniform. Solinsky enjoyed the gesture. “I’ll wear these with pride, and know I’m in good hands,” he said, before receiving a loud ovation.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Linda and Art Miller, who will soon become the police chief in Peoria, Arizona, enjoyed a good laugh during the reception.

Miller then reflected on the day he came on board as South Pasadena’s police chief, making the conscious decision to put “others first above yourself,” as his mantra, explaining what the job meant to a small community like South Pasadena. “You’re the ultimate servant in public service” in the role.

He recalled a meeting with representatives of the SPOA, who stressed: “Just lead us” when Miller asked what they were expecting from him upon acceptance of the position.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Corporal Avick Manukian, president of the South Pasadena Police Officers Association, spoke highly of his departing police chief, Art Miller.

“After hearing that, I knew my job was going to be easy,” remembers Miller, who savored the opportunity to become a fixture in town, often attending events with his wife, Linda, at his side. “We have an amazing city, fully supported by our community, our city manager and our council. I certainly couldn’t have been successful without all that as a basis for how we operate.”

He’s leaving with mixed emotions, recounting the day about a year and a half ago when he and his wife visited some friends who had retired in Peoria and found it to be nice, “so nice,” he remembers “that I pulled Linda aside and said, ‘You’ve always wanted to live out of state, is this something you could do?’ And she said, “I think so.”

The couple returned to the desert town about a month later and wound up purchasing a house.

“My full intent was to work here (South Pasadena) for a couple of more years and commute back-and-forth on weekends,” said Miller, but when the opportunity to replace the retiring Peoria police chief came about, he just couldn’t pass up the chance to pursue his final job in police work.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Former City Manager Sergio Gonzalez, departing Police Chief Art Miller and current City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe.

So here he was, standing in front of well wishers at the War Memorial Building, dressed casually in a short sleeve shirt and jeans, looking tan, refreshed, and smiling proudly, surrounded by those who knew him the best, thanking them all for their support over the years.

He closed his remarks by thanking his son, Rick, a graduate of SDSU and currently in the Navy, for his service to the country. He also recognized his wife for her dedicated support, noting: “It’s been crazy the last month and a half.”

In response, Linda, seated at a table next to her son near the podium, quickly responded, “Maybe it’s been more like 35 years,” as a roar of laughter followed.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Marina Khubesrian, departing Police Chief Art Miller and South Pasadena Mayor Dr. Richard Schneider.

Good marriages, it seems, have that never-ending, loving banter – even in public.

After being sworn in, Miller’s first official first day on the job in Peoria will be Sept. 5. He says there are similarities in the two towns, despite going to one with a much larger population. “It’s very much like South Pasadena,” he said of Peoria. “Like us, they reach out to the community through community policing.”

Community-oriented policing was a central theme under Miller’s watch in South Pasadena, a strategy that focuses on building ties and working closely with members of the community. The idea was to interact with members of the public to create partnerships and strategies in an effort to reduce crime and disorder.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Departing South Pasadena Police Chief Art Miller prepares to give the stars from his uniform to Acting Police Chief Brian Solinsky.

“The needs are the same and the execution on how we’re going to do our police work (in Peoria) is very similar to here,” he said.

Like a young officer, Miller must meet the grade in order to take over as chief of the Peoria Police Department, required to pass a series of exams. “The process over there is unlike California,” he said. “I am being treated as an entry level person. I have to pass all the tests, all the physical agility stuff – the driving, shooting, the psychological, polygraph, medical…I’ve been pretty busy.”

Looking at the physical and mental demands he’ll be facing to pass them all, Miller joked, “I’m getting a little nervous as it gets closer to September 4.”

Once on board, Miller will oversee about 200 sworn officers and 50 support staff in a city with a population of 164,000 and 179 square miles.

As a new chapter begins in Miller’s life, he concluded his remarks by saying: “Thank you for all your support over the years. Thank you to all my colleagues here. I like the idea that you guys are my extended family – like it or not.”