Miami Township trustees unanimously approved more than $1.46 million in new equipment for the police and fire departments and swore in two new officers at their Tuesday, July 21 business meeting, according to the township's meeting agenda and minutes.
The purchases cover nearly every category of public safety gear: a new ambulance, body cameras, in-car cameras, radios, firearms, ballistic vests, breathing apparatus, turnout gear and radar units. Trustees are set to formally ratify the July 21 minutes at their Aug. 10 meeting at 7 p.m. at 6101 Meijer Drive in Milford.
Two sworn in, one promoted, one resigns
Officers Nathan Hermes ($40.00/hour) and Ashley Valco ($37.81/hour) were sworn in as Miami Township's newest police officers at the July 21 meeting. Police Clerk Danielle Panek was reclassified to full-time officer at $42.30/hour, the highest starting rate of the three, effective July 22.
Officer James Korzan resigned effective July 30. The net gain: two officers.
HR Director Emily Asher presented all personnel recommendations. Trustee Mary Makley Wolff made the motion; Trustee Mark Schulte seconded. Chairperson Ken Tracy joined them in a unanimous vote.
30-year firefighter retires
Firefighter/Paramedic Dene Riggenbach retired July 27 after more than 30 years in the community, the last 25 with Miami Township Fire/EMS. Fire Inspector Paul Eckert also resigned, effective July 2.
Asher told trustees the township wished to recognize Riggenbach for more than 30 years of dedicated service, with the last 25 at Miami Township, and wished him well in retirement.
Fire department: $940,000-plus in gear
The biggest single purchase: a 2025 Ford F-550 ambulance from Sutphen Corporation for up to $342,876, the lowest of three bids. It replaces Ambulance 20, an 11-year-old unit that will become a reserve. The department's oldest ambulance is a 2015 model with more than 150,000 miles. Fire Chief Jetter told trustees the new unit should last 10 to 12 years.
Other fire purchases approved July 21:
- 20 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units from MSA Safety: up to $156,800. Current units are 15 years old and no longer meet NFPA standards.
- Radio upgrade from Motorola Solutions: up to $284,650 for 45 portable and 12 mobile radios. The upgrade is required before Clermont County's new P25 Phase 2 system takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
- 25 sets of turnout gear and helmets from Fire Safety USA: up to $87,500.
- 12 AEDs from ZOLL Medical: up to $36,000.
- One thermal imaging camera from MSA Safety: $7,895.
- Turnout gear extractor from UniMac: up to $24,850.
- Training expenses for 2026: up to $37,650.
Police department: $480,000-plus in upgrades
Police Chief Robert Hirsch requested 25 Axon Body 3 cameras, docking stations and five years of unlimited cloud storage for up to $187,500. The department's current system is seven years old and no longer manufacturer-supported. Hirsch told trustees the department generates about 2,500 hours of video per month.
Other police purchases:
- In-car camera upgrade from WatchGuard Video for 20 patrol vehicles: up to $156,800. The new system syncs with the body cameras.
- 15 ballistic vests and rifle plates from Safariland: up to $67,500.
- 6 lidar units and 6 radar units from Kustom Signals: up to $48,600.
- 25 Glock 17 Gen 5 pistols (9mm) replacing 12-year-old .40-caliber Glock 22s: up to $22,875. Officers have already completed transition training.
A TASER purchase from Axon Enterprise was also on the agenda but the final dollar amount was not available in the published minutes.
What's next
The Aug. 10 work session agenda includes additional items: a ballistic vest replacement discussion, a Station 26 network upgrade, landscaping at Stations 27 and 29, and updated police job descriptions. The radio upgrade delivery is expected in 12 to 16 weeks.
