New Onalaska police chief wants more officers on the road

The Onalaska Police and Fire Commission listened to officers and allowed Troy Miller to apply for the job before taking a look at anyone outside the department.

And that’s all it needed to see. Miller was sworn in this week.

Asked about his main concern as he takes over the department, he said it was simple.

“You hear a lot about drugs, you hear a lot about crime,” he said. “Well, how do you combat those? It’s staffing.

“One of our biggest challenges here is we need more officers out on the road. We need more officers out there proactively policing.”

There have been a lot of conversation about sentences handed down to criminals this week, following Judge Elliot Levine’s five-year sentence to Dylan Bartsch for beating and starving his 3-year-old daughter to death.

La Crosse assistant police chief Rob Abraham said on Twitter that Levine should be recalled. Miller isn’t making those matters a public issue in that manner.

“We are never all going to be happy with someone else’s actions,” Miller said. “I don’t want to second guess, or Monday Morning Quarterback, on a lot of these issues. Are there frustrations? Absolutely. I try and keep it in perspective.”

Miller was surprised at his hiring. Not because he didn’t deserve the position, though.

“I never really thought it would be much of a reality,” he said. “When I assumed the role of assistant chief nine years ago, it was with a new chief, a young chief, at that point, and I didn’t really see an opening coming available in this department.”

In a statement, the city said Trotnic left to pursue other opportunities.

Miller has served with the Onalaska Police Department since 1996. He was promoted to sergeant in 2001 and assistant chief in 2009.