The Irving Police Department got its 11th chief of police on Tuesday, May 31, following an exhaustive search for the City’s next top cop.
The City of Irving selected Derick Miller for the chief of police position.
Following Miller’s selection, City Manager Chris Hillman said the new chief’s experience, professional focus areas, and approach to community outreach will be valuable assets to the department as it aims to set the standard for “best policing practices.”
The department wrote on its website that Miller, who was confirmed by Irving City Council on May 5, has demonstrated experience with community policing concepts and outreach.
While responding to his selection, Miller said he was thrilled to have been selected to lead an organization that values “treating everyone it serves with professionalism, dignity, and respect.”
“The Irving Police Department is a progressive agency that knows the pathway to continued success is made up of strong community partnerships and officers who proactively protect Irving with servant’s hearts,” Miller said. “To not only join the Irving Police Department but to lead it is my great honor.”
Miller was sworn in as the new police chief on May 31 in front of city leaders. His two children pinned his new badge on him.
During his swearing-in ceremony, Miller outlined his new goal for the Irving Police Department.
“We will grow our existing relationships, and we will foster new ones, and we will accelerate our community engagement like we’ve never done before, and together we will protect our community,” Miller said.
Miller also vowed that his new department will focus on protecting the vulnerable from harm and safeguarding the innocent from injury. The new chief added that he and his officers will put themselves in harm’s way if it became necessary to protect the people.
Prior to his appointment in Irving, Miller served as Carrollton PD’s chief.
The Benbrook native joined Carrollton Police Department in 1992 as a reserve officer and worked his way through every rank before being appointed as police chief in 2017.
Miller, an adjunct professor of criminology at the University of Texas at Arlington, is the president of the DFW Major City Police Chief’s Association. He is also the first vice president of the North Texas Police Chief’s Association and an Executive Advisory Board member at Caruth Police Institute at UNT Dallas.
Miller holds an M.A. and B.A. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Texas at Arlington. He also has a Master Peace Officer’s Certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
He is additionally a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Institute of Law Enforcement Administration, and the Senior Management Institute of Policing.
Miller took over for Interim Police Chief Darren Steele and will replace former Chief Jeff Spivey, who retired at the end of January after 35 years of service with the City.