Captain/Acting Chief Walt Miller officially selected to become the next full-time Chief of Police of the Evesham Police Department

Evesham Township is pleased to announce that Walter Miller III has been officially selected to become the next full-time Chief of Police of the Evesham Township Police Department.

Miller is a 24-year veteran of the department who previously held the rank of Captain, as well as the rank of “Acting Chief” since the retirement of former chief Christopher Chew at the end of January. Miller is also a resident of Evesham Township, having lived in the community with his wife and family since he first began serving with the department.

The newly-appointed Chief Miller will lead Evesham’s police force as its officers continue to uphold the exceptional standard of public safety that Evesham residents have come to expect.

With Evesham ranking as the largest municipality in Burlington County, Miller will oversee a department with about 100 employees across its patrol officers, command staff, SLEO members and civilian staff.

The Evesham PD is also well-known for many professional accolades, including its continued ranking in the top 1 percent of all police departments in the nation through multiple re-accreditations under the national Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2014, 2017 and 2020.

“I am humbled and excited to help write the next chapter of the Evesham Police Department,” Miller said. “The men and women, of this great agency, are some of the most capable, high character people, I have ever had the pleasure to serve with.” 

Miller also pointed to the department’s strong connection with the Evesham community and the important role of community policing in the success of the department.

“A cornerstone of this agency and the police profession is community policing,” Miller said. “As we progress forward, we are going to continue our engagement with our community, we are going to embody the philosophy, ‘the police are the community, and the community are the police.’  This community is one of the most supportive and connected communities in the country, we value our connection with the community, and I value the trust and legitimacy our community bestows upon me and each member of the Evesham Police Department.  As we progress forward our bond with this community is going to grow and flourish.”

Miller also touched upon his goal of continuing to make the department as efficient and effective as possible for residents.

“The profession of policing can be challenging, so we are going to examine the current operations of the agency and increase our output to ensure our staff are trained and ready for any situation that they may confront, while we implement measures to ensure the Evesham Police Department is efficient and effective, while fostering financial responsibility for our residents,” Miller said.

Per the code of the Township of Evesham, the Township Manager administers the promotional procedure for the position of Chief of Police, with the manager responsible for making the final appointment. Also per code, only those already serving as a Captain or Lieutenant in the Evesham PD are eligible to be considered as candidates for Chief of Police.

“The command staff of the Evesham Township Police Department are an exceptionally talented group of individuals, and so choosing a new Chief of Police was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make in my time serving Evesham,” said Township Manager Robert Corrales. “But after a careful review of all candidates, I hope the community will join me in welcoming Walt Miller as our new Chief of Police. He undoubtedly has the character and qualifications that will allow our department to maintain the high-standard of public safety for which Evesham is so well known.”

Mayor Jaclyn Veasy also spoke to Miller’s experience and service to the community.

“On behalf of myself and Township Council, as well as every member of our community, I want to formally welcome Chief Walt Miller to his new role in leading one of the very best police departments in the United States of America,” Mayor Veasy said. “Walt Miller’s willingness to serve the Evesham community is without question, and I know everyone in Evesham can continue to feel safe under his leadership and vision as our department continues to grow and serve our residents.”

In his personal life, Miller’s involvement in the community extends well beyond police work.

Miller is a trustee for the Marlton Recreation Council, where he previously served as president for four years and was involved as a coach and in other roles for 17 years. The MRC oversees youth sports for more than 6,500 children each year.

Due to his role in youth sports, Miller was also selected to serve on Evesham Township Human Rights Advisory Council since the board’s inception in 2020. Through this advisory council, Miller has been able to build further bonds with members of the community who are committed to ensure inclusion and equity for all residents.

Miller also founded the nonprofit Evesham Heroes Fund in 2015 in response to two suicide deaths at Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Evesham Fire-Rescue. The fund supports the families of local fallen first responders with the annual Fallen Heroes Softball Tournament and other fundraising efforts.

In 2021, Miller and his family also established the non-profit “Hands Uniting Generations – HUGS” organization for the purpose of bringing the community together with collection drives and other fundraising efforts.

Additional background

After working briefly for the Amtrak Police Department 1997, Miller was hired by the Evesham Township Police Department.

During his 24-year tenure with the Evesham Police, he’s worked in every facet of the agency, both in the Operational and Administrative Divisions. He began with the Evesham PD by serving as a patrol officer, narcotics investigator and detective, before entering the supervisory ranks in 2004, when he was promoted to Sergeant and given command of the agency’s Investigative Bureau. In 2006, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and he held roles in every one of the agency’s bureaus (Patrol, Investigative, Operations and Administrative), until his promotion to Captain in 2013. As Captain, Miller served in both of the agency’s two divisions, serving as Operations Division Commander from 2013-2017 and Administrative Division Commander from 2017 until his current promotion to Chief.

Chief Miller holds a Master of Administrative Science Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, with Certificates in Law Enforcement Executive Studies & Global Leadership. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law/Justice from Rowan University.

In 2017, Chief Miller attended and graduated from the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico, VA.

In 2019, Chief Miller also graduated the Certified Public Manager (CPM) program through Rutgers University School of Public Affairs & Administration. After graduating from the CPM program, he joined the facility as a part-time professor for the University, teaching Organizational Communication and Risk Management for the CPM program.