First Posted: 2/19/2015
LIMA — Shawnee Township Police Detective Jack Miller couldn’t think of any other job he’d rather be doing.
He loves to help people, and his whole heart is in his job.
Those reasons alone were enough to choose him Thursday as the latest Lima Exchange Club’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
“I work with so many people who could have received the award, and I’m very honored to have been selected,” Miller said.
Miller’s wife, Joy and three sons, Bo, Luke and Jake were snuck in for the presentation of the award.
“Yes, we are ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ fans,” he said as the crowd laughed.
The presentation of the award comes with a well-known announcement process where all police officers in the room are asked to stand. Officers are asked to sit down if they meet a certain criteria such as age, rank or hometown. The final criteria this year was an officer who was a graduate of Spencerville High School.
As the last man standing, Miller’s face lit up with a smile and his family was brought in.
He thanked his agency and the Shawnee Township trustees for hiring him.
“It’s a great job,” he said. “I certainly enjoy going to work each day.”
Miller, 40, said his greatest joy comes from helping people and being able to investigate crimes that, to a bigger agency, may be pushed to the back burner. Even some misdemeanors are investigated at Shawnee Township, he said.
“It is very rewarding to help people in situations that may otherwise not get attention,” he said.
The award is given each year to a local police officer from one of three agencies, Shawnee Township, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office or the Lima Police Department. Each agency submits one name and a committee at the Exchange club makes the final pick.
Jack Somerville, one of the co-chairs of the program, said this year’s award is extra special given the criticism police officers have faced locally and across the country following the high-profile deaths of black men across the United States.
“Cops have taken a real beating,” Somerville said.
