- Biehl was hired in Dayton in January 2008 after previously serving as Cincinnati’s assistant police chief after working as a police officer in the Queen City from 1980 to 2004.
- He grew up in Cincinnati’s Bridgetown neighborhood on Biehl Avenue, named for his developer grandfather. Biehl’s father was a construction foreman and home builder.
- He earned a bachelor’s in home economics from the University of Cincinnati. Worked toward a master’s in social work. Was valedictorian of his 1980 police recruit class.
Credit: Jim Witmer
Credit: Jim Witmer
- Biehl has a reputation for studying law enforcement research and crime patterns and trends and he been a strong advocate for community policing.
- He practices Taekwondo and has taught yoga classes.
- He supported the Welcome Dayton program that declared the city immigrant friendly. Here’s what he said about the Welcome Dayton effort:
“I think it’s a tremendous gift to the community. Y’know, I had a conversation with a number of individuals at City Hall in a meeting to talk about immigration and related issues, particularly the law enforcement piece of it, a few years ago, and I said, “Does anybody here have ancestors originally from this country?” and not a single hand went up in the table. We’re a nation of immigrants. That we would ever lose sight of that would truly be a sad commentary on the history of this country. My great-grandfather came over from Germany in 1900. I’m a third generation American myself. So, when I hear hostility directed to individuals from other countries, I’m stunned. When did we forget who we are?
“Now, with that much said, I think everyone generally agrees, particularly in the law enforcement community, we do need to regulate the borders. We do need to have cogent policy on immigration. I don’t think most folks would argue against that. But with that, it shouldn’t be cowling to some hostility and fear of the other. That’s what a lot of this dialogue has been. It’s sad and it’s wrong. The fact that this community has adopted this approach says much to the spirit and heart of this community and I think it’s honoring the very rich tradition of this country.”
- Biehl partnered with the Trotwood Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to support the community in the Community Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence, a gun violence reduction initiative modeled after the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence.
- Biehl was honored with a statewide award, the 2011 recipient of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Michael Kelly Excellence and Innovation in Policing Award.
- Biehl also won local recognition, named the recipient of the 2014 Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau Ambassadors Award for bringing the International Problem Oriented Policing Conference to Dayton in October 2013.
- Biehl led the department through some of its most difficult times. Mayor Nan Whaley cited the challenges of guiding the police through the Oregon District mass shooting and the deadly on-the-job shooting of detective Jorge Del Rio, both in 2019.
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