The City of Piqua is proud to announce that Detective Kiersten Brisset has earned promotion to the rank of lieutenant in the Piqua Police Department.
Piqua City Manager Paul Oberdorfer swore Brisset in at a special ceremony Monday. Brisset is filling the role vacated by Deputy Chief Miles Gearing, who was promoted from the lieutenant rank during the same ceremony.
Police Chief Rick Byron said that Brisset has worked on some important cases with lengthy investigations during her time with the department. She also demonstrated her initiative by researching the newly announced Police K-9 Program being added to the department.
“Kiersten is a hard worker and has earned the trust and respect of her colleagues,” Byron said. “Her experience, professionalism and dedication will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of our department and the safety of our community. I have every confidence that Lt. Brisset will excel in her new position and serve as a role model for the officers of the Piqua Police Department.”
Lt. Brisset attended Sinclair Community College’s Criminal Justice Training Academy and studied criminal justice at Miami University (Ohio). She began her career as a reserve police officer at Middletown Police Department in 2016 and joined the Piqua Police Department in 2017.
In her tenure with the Piqua Police Department, Lt. Brisset has served as a field training officer, evidence technician, officer in charge, forensic interviewer, hostage negotiator and acting lieutenant when temporary coverage was needed. Brisset also serves a multi-disciplinary team for child advocacy.
Brisset was named the Piqua Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2019 and earned the Jan Mulder Citizenship Award and Life Saving Award in 2021 for her part in saving the life of a female who drove her vehicle off the road into the river.
In July 2023, she became the department’s first female detective after a lateral transfer from her role as a patrol officer. Now she will serve as the department’s first female lieutenant.
In her new role, Brisset will oversee the work of a shift of patrol officers, the same team she served with before moving to detective last year.
Originally from Trenton, Brisset resides in Piqua with her husband, Dakota, and one-year-old son, Hudson.
“As lieutenant, I am eager to see our department grow in training and experience as the next generation of officers prepares for leadership,” Lt. Brisset said. “I see our department increasing engagement with the community, from playing kickball with local students to adding a K-9 unit to our ranks later this year. I also hope in this role that I can help to make a pathway for other females coming up in our department.”
The process of selecting a lieutenant 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 utilities director and the police chief.
The Piqua Civil Service Commission certified candidates for lieutenant this month, and Brisset received the highest score in all three portions of the promotional process, earning her the top promotional spot.
“Kiersten’s preparation and professionalism showed through in her scores,” City of Piqua Human Resources Director Catherine Bogan said. “We are encouraged by the talent and skill demonstrated through this highly competitive process with a strong candidate pool. We are developing the department’s next set of leaders.”
For more information about the Piqua Police Department or the Civil Service Commission, visit piquaoh.gov.