Chief Biographies
Chief of Police
Colonel Richard E. Miller was appointed Chief of Police in November 2005. During his tenure with the department Miller has continued his education, receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1990 from Tarkio College. He then earned his Masters of Arts Degree in Management from Webster University in 1995.
Miller was hired by the Granite City Police Department on August 1, 1986. In 1988 he was assigned to work undercover drug investigations as part of the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois. In 1989 he was assigned as squad leader of the overt team conducting arrests and search warrants for the agents. In 1990 Miller returned to the GCPD as the lead officer of the departments Two Man Street Drug team until 1991. After a stint in the general investigative division Miller was promoted to Sergeant in 1993 and served as a street level supervisor. In 1998 Miller was promoted to Lieutenant and worked as a shift commander on the day and night shifts. In 2000 Miller was promoted to Captain and acted as commander of the 36 man patrol division. In 2001 Miller was appointed by Mayor Ron Selph as Major/Asst. Chief under then Chief David Ruebhausen. In 2005 Chief Ruebhausen retired and Miller was selected as the new Chief by Mayor Ed Hagnauer.
During his career Colonel Miller has served as a Defense Tactics Instructor and received the State of Illinois Governor’s Medal of Valor after a 1994 incident at a local business involving an armed assailant.
Assistant Chief of Police
Major Jeff Connor was appointed Assistant Chief of Police in November 2005. During his tenure with the department Connor has continued his education, receiving his Associate Degree at Belleville Area College in 1992, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Sterling College in 1992. He then earned his Masters of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Lindenwood University in 2002.
Connor was hired by the Granite City Police Department on June 27th, 1986. In 1989 he was transferred to the Investigation Division and remained there until 1996. In 1990 he joined the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis as a homicide investigator. In 1996, Connor was promoted to Patrol Sergeant and worked in this capacity until 1999 when promoted to Lieutenant as a Patrol Shift Commander. In 2002 Connor was transferred into the Investigation Division as a Commander. Connor was promoted to Captain in 2004 and remained in charge of Investigations. Also in 2004 Connor was promoted to Deputy Commander of the Major Case Squad and has continued to head up major homicides in the St. Louis region. To date, Connor has been involved with over 50 homicide investigations either as an Investigator or Commander.
In 2005 Connor was appointed by Mayor Ed Hagnauer to serve as Assistant Chief of Police. With this position, Connor has continued to serve as the Investigation Commander and remained a Deputy Commander with the Major Case Squad. In January 2011 Major Connor will be attending the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.