LIBERTY—Former Liberty Police Chief Leland “Corky” Miller addressed Liberty City Council on Monday after recently resigning from a post he occupied for 11 years.

During a speech, lasting nearly eight minutes, Miller addressed his time in Liberty.

“For the past 11 years I’ve been the Police Chief. There’s no greater privilege than to protect and serve your hometown,” Miller said. “It has been an honor to have been given these opportunities to serve my community.”

Miller proceeded to seemingly give advice to the council.

“You can keep making the same mistakes, or you can let go of some of the departments that serve the county more than they serve the city,” Miller said. “Ask for your needs not your wants. Just do the right thing.”

Miller also took time to thank the mayors he has worked with.

“I would like to thank mayors, Eddie Hughes, Brian Deese and Michael Sheriff, for working close with me and allowing me to rebuild the police department,” Miller said. “I believe what people will remember about you is not what you did while you were here, but what you leave behind when you’re gone. We all have a legacy.”

The former police chief brought up the topic of faith several times throughout the speech, questioning those on the council.

“So as one Christian to another, there’s one question I have. Are you a server of Jesus Christ or are you just a consumer of Jesus Christ?” Miller said. “Do you truly seek the will of the heavenly father, or do you just use Jesus to get what you want as a lot of people do?”

Miller then reminded the council of its responsibility.

“The heavenly father knows our wants and our needs, and we cannot hide our true selves from him,” Miller said. “(Jesus) has given you (the council) a great responsibility, and he will hold you accountable for what you do with it. There’s a lot of hard decisions to be made, and what you decide, people will have to live with in the future.”

Miller said he also wanted to address those that felt like he had, at times, been too hard on his staff at the police department

“One of the biggest complaints that I’ve always received is that I might be too hard on my people,” Miller said before he read the law enforcement code of ethics. “If you think I’m too hard on anybody, it is because police officers are different. They are held to a different standard than everybody else, and until you understand that, you really won’t understand why police officers do what they do.”

Before wrapping up his speech, Miller read the council the oaths they took when they entered office.

“If (you) will put your personal feelings and agendas aside and work together, you could bring this town out of the problems that we’re in now,” Miller said. “It’s a great honor and privilege to have spent 11 years here, and with that I’m going to say goodbye.”

After Miller announced his resignation, City Clerk Sue Woods also left her position at the Town Hall. Liberty Fire Chief Mike Sargent also announced his retirement recently as well.

Miller could not be reached for comment.