A policing legend farewelled

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann

In the years during and after his Victoria Police career, stories have been shared of Mick Miller the leader, the innovator, the pioneer, the honest cop and the hard worker. At his funeral in August, stories were shared of Mick Miller, the man.

The life of the 16th Victoria Police Chief Commissioner, Sinclair Imrie “Mick” Miller – nicknamed after 1940s boxing champion Mickey Miller – was celebrated at the Victoria Police Academy by overflowing crowds of family, friends, police, politicians and more.

Current Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton led the tributes to Mr Miller, who served as a police officer for 40 years and retired in 1987 after 10 years in the top job.

Mr Miller died on August 6, aged 92.

CCP Ashton detailed Mr Miller’s immensely decorated career, saying he had “never seen a personnel file that contains so many commendations” and that he “set the gold standard”.

“He will live on in our memory as the police officer all in the force should aspire to emulate,” CCP Ashton said.

The Special Operations Group, the Air Wing, Victoria Police Legacy, Neighbourhood Watch and Crime Stoppers were all formed under Mr Miller’s stewardship, and Victoria Police had the greatest percentage of women of any police force nationally while he was Chief Commissioner.

For all his almost countless honours, achievements and initiatives, those at the funeral celebrated Mr Miller’s character most of all.

Former Assistant Commissioner and one of Mr Miller’s staff officers, Bill Robertson, explained Mr Miller was “blessed with compassion” and dedicated every Friday morning to visiting police at the Victoria Police Hospital.

Renowned crime reporter for The Age and family friend John Silvester shared stories of Mr Miller writing personal letters to junior police who had lost parents and of a time he visited the home of the family of a police officer who was experiencing mental health troubles.

The praise for Mr Miller was not just limited to his working career, but his family life as well.

His grandson Tim Riley said Mr Miller would never hesitate to cross anything off his calendar to spend time with his family.

“I loved just how much time and effort he spent building a unique and meaningful relationship with everyone in his family,” Mr Riley said.

Mick Miller career overview

1926

Born in Flemington, Victoria on 13 October 1926.

1945- 1947

Served in the Australian Army in Australia and Japan.

1947

Joined Victoria Police on 5 November 1947. Went on to perform uniform duties at Richmond, detective at Brunswick CIB, Homicide Squad, Carlton CIB and Prahran CIB. Officer in charge at Gaming (Special Duties) Branch, Vice Squad, and Detective Training School.

1967

First Australian police officer to be awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship and to attend the United States’ FBI National Academy.

1971

As a sergeant, he was the first Australian police officer, below inspector rank, to be awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished police service. First Australian police officer to attend the Senior Command Course at the British National Police College in England. Appointed Assistant Commissioner (Operations).

1976

Appointed Assistant Commissioner (Crime).

1977

Appointed Chief Commissioner on 13 June 1977.

1981

Awarded Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order.

1983

Appointed chairman of the Bushfire Review Committee (Ash Wednesday fires). Awarded Victorian Father of the Year.

1985

Awarded Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

1986

Awarded Officer of the Order of Australia.

1987

Retired from Victoria Police as Chief Commissioner on 28 November 1987. Awarded Victorian of the Year. Awarded The Police Association of Victoria life membership.

1988

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) University of Melbourne. Chairperson of the Coordinating Council on Control of Liquor Abuse until 1997.

1991

Lecturer of Ethics and Accountability at Australian Management College, Mt Eliza.

1995

Awarded Victoria Police Legacy life membership.

1996

Named patron of Recreation Link (Reclink) Football League. RSPCA life membership.

1998

Named patron of Bereavement Assistance Ltd.

2003

Awarded Cavaliere of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

2009

Neighbourhood Watch Hall of Fame inductee.

2013

Lifetime member of the Australian Queen’s Scout Association.

2019

Victoria Police Historical Society life membership.