PIQUA — The City of Piqua has announced Police Lt. Miles Gearing has been promoted to deputy chief in the Piqua Police Department.

Piqua City Manager Paul Oberdorfer swore Gearing in at a special ceremony Monday, May 13. Gearing is filling the role vacated by Deputy Chief Jason Preston, who retired from the department effective Friday, May 10, said a city of Piqua news flash.

“Miles has proven his skills and leadership throughout his tenure with the Piqua Police Department,” Police Chief Rick Byron said in the news flash. “He approaches every situation with a positive attitude and a willingness to teach his colleagues new skills. He is well-respected and has the support of the entire department as he moves into this role.”

Gearing earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Toledo and has 17 years of law enforcement experience. He has completed the supervisor training and education program (STEP) and Police Executive Leadership College (PELC). He is currently enrolled in the certified law enforcement executive program (CLEE). Each of these leadership programs is provided by the Law Enforcement Foundation Inc., and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

Since joining the Piqua Police Department in 2009, Gearing has served as a member of the Tactical Response Team, a detective and narcotics investigator, and a field training officer. He currently serves as commander of the Tactical Response Team and as a firearms instructor, roles he will continue in his new position.

Gearing was named the Piqua Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2011 and has served as a lieutenant since 2021.

Originally from Jackson Center, Gearing resides in Piqua with his wife, Nicole, and 11-year-old son, Dylan.

“I look forward to serving my community in this position and shaping the future of the department,” Gearing said. “I believe that we have a lot of potential in our ranks, and I want to continue to recruit strong officers and develop them for leadership positions as well.”

The process of choosing a new deputy police chief is governed by rules and regulations established by the Civil Service Commission and is administered by the city of Piqua’s human resources director.

In this promotional process, the city’s established procedure included consideration of internal candidates utilizing a written exam where candidates were required to achieve a minimum passing score to advance to an assessment center proctored by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. Candidates also participated in a thorough panel interview process. The panel of five included two community members, the human resources director, the finance director and the police chief.

The Piqua Civil Service Commission certified candidates for deputy chief last summer as it filled another vacancy, and Gearing was slated as the next most qualified candidate for promotion according to the certified eligibility list.

“Deputy Chief Gearing’s experience and commitment to the department speak for themselves,” City of Piqua Human Resources Director Catherine Bogan said in the news flash. “We are fortunate to have qualified candidates in the department’s ranks who are willing and able to step into this important leadership role. We have absolute confidence in Miles’ ability to thrive as deputy chief.”

For more information about the Piqua Police Department or the Civil Service Commission, visit www.piquaoh.gov.