Respected cop, sportsman Ken Miller passes

A man well-known locally as a police officer and hockey official, Ken Miller died yesterday (Jan. 1) at the Nipissing Serenity Hospice. He was 75.

Miller retired from the OPP on December 27, 2007 as the North East Regional Commander, Chief Superintendent

At the time, Miller said “It has been an honour for me to serve the people of Ontario as a member of the Ontario Provincial Police. As a police officer, it was important for me to treat everyone, even those on the wrong side of the law, with a level of respect and dignity. I trust that I have made a positive impact on many lives and have served well.”

Read the full obituary here.

Miller began his OPP career in 1976 as a constable in Hearst. He became a member of the Tactical Response Unit – North Bay in 1980 and remained with the unit as a highly trained specialist for the next four years. Miller then returned to the front-line duties of a general law enforcement officer with North Bay detachment. In 1994, Miller was promoted to Detective Sergeant in the position of Area Crime Supervisor - North East Region and provided functional leadership to detective constables and uniformed members with respect to benchmark criminal investigations. This supervisory role enabled Miller to work on a number of Criminal Investigation Branch investigations that were a prelude to his promotion in 1999 to Detective Inspector, Criminal Investigation Branch.

The Major Case Manager portfolio enabled Miller to remain in North Bay. In 2002, he was promoted to the rank of Superintendent as Regional Director of Operations for the North East Region. Reporting to the Regional Commander, Miller oversaw all criminal and traffic operations across the North East Region. He was also responsible for overseeing regional issues pertaining to Professional Standards Branch. His promotion to the rank of Chief Superintendent was announced in May 2006 and he assumed responsibility for the command of the North East Region (677 uniformed members and 197 civilians) on June 1, 2006.

"Professionalism, accountability and operational visibility have been the underpinning of his leadership style. His continuous consultation with communities ensured that the OPP delivered policing services that met a community's individual needs," said a news release at the time.

Miller, a big Montreal Canadiens fan, was also well-known and respected by members of the Ontario Hockey Federation, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and the Ontario Hockey League for his dedicated work as a referee and for his years of executive service.

He was inducted into the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

His bio states, "Ken Miller arrived in North Bay with the Ontario Provincial Police in 1980 after having served in the military. He officiated minor hockey in Montreal and when he retired as an on-ice official in 1994, he had put in 32 winters calling games at all levels. Achieving his Level 6 certification (the highest ranking that can be earned by an amateur official) in 1984, Miller worked local, regional, provincial, national and international contests.

"He was a regular official in the Ontario Hockey League for a decade and in 1988 was assigned to work the World “C” Championships in Australia, where he handled the title match.

"Off-ice contributions began in Hearst in 1976 and continued for 30+ years. He began by tutoring referees and linesmen and he was a Supervisor Instructor from the mid-seventies. He became nationally certified as both an Instructor and Supervisor in 1984. Referee in chief of the North Bay Minor Hockey Association in the early eighties, he joined the NOHA Executive as Director of Officials in 1986, was Referee in Chief of the Ontario Hockey Federation for 11 years, and served on the Hockey Canada Referee’s Committee. Miller was an OHL Supervisor; Director of Security and on the OHL’s Referee’s Committee. He helped develop an Official’s Manual used across Canada and co-authored workbooks for both off-ice officials and supervisors.

Ken was named Hockey Canada’s Official of the Year in 2007 and was honoured by the OHF and the NOHA. He had a great impact on the growth and development of hockey officials."

Present North Bay police chief Scott Tod worked with Miller when he was a Detective Inspector in the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch and when he was a Chief Superintendent with the North East Region Command.

"Ken was a gifted criminal investigator and had an advanced working level of knowledge, and application of criminal law regarding search, seizure, investigative techniques, and evidence, "Tod told BayToday. "He was a very successful investigator, case manager, and leader. He is respected across the province by criminal investigators, crown attorneys, judges, and many others in the judicial system as having an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of case law and statute law and assisted with many criminal investigations that have led to convictions of dangerous criminals. He was a great cop in so many ways."

Tod says he always admired his ability to remain calm and set direction in stressful situations.

"He helped all of us to be safe and successful at work and in our careers. He mentored and developed hundreds of police officers across the province. His friendship was a bonus to having worked with him and knowing him. Outside of policing, Ken was a strong family person and a committed hockey official who helped develop many on and off-ice hockey officials across Canada. His understanding of the game of hockey and how it was to be played with respect to the rules and fairness in play made for some great and humorous conversation away from work and the rink. Ken was a beloved “Habs fan and that always helped in the banter of his friendship."

“The Ontario Hockey League is mourning the passing of Ken Miller, the League’s Director of Security whose involvement with the OHL in various capacities spans more than 40 years," it said in a social media post.

"Outside of the OHL, Ken’s contributions to the game have included serving as OHF Referee-in-Chief from 1988-96. He received Hockey Canada’s Officiating Award in 2007, and was inducted into the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.”

"Ken made tremendous contributions to the Ontario Hockey League in a number of different capacities spread out over the course of four decades,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “He was a consummate professional who did a lot of very important things behind the scenes, whether that was in his role as the League’s Director of Security, or through mentoring young officials in his position as an Officiating Manager. The League is thankful to Ken for the significant impact he made, and extends condolences to his wife Sally and family.”

Ken is survived by his wife Sally, daughters Stacey (Operational Analyst - Field Support Bureau), Sarah (Detective Sergeant – Professional Standards Bureau).

The family will receive visitors at the Memorial Gardens -North Bay Sports Hall of Fame (100 Chippewa Street West, North Bay) on Friday, January 12, between 10 a..m and noon. A Memorial Service will be conducted at the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame, by Deacon Tim Foster, O.P.P Chaplain, and Dave Saad at noon. A celebration of Ken’s life will follow.

See an interview that Dave Dale of Small Town Times did with Miller last year below.