Holts Summit announced a new city prosecuting attorney has been hired and will begin Aug. 26.
Benjamin Miller was hired during a closed session at the Aug. 10 Board of Aldermen meeting; he will be replacing Renee Godbee.
Holts Summit City Administrator Hanna Thomas said Godbee has served as city prosecutor since 2015 and is leaving as the city transitions from having a local court to the Callaway County circuit court.
As city prosecutor, Miller will be responsible for prosecuting municipal violations. Miller said these include traffic offenses, DWIs and public nuisance cases. He said he will be assisting law enforcement in filing and prosecuting cases to enforce city ordinances.
The transition to the Callaway County circuit court includes a move to digital ticketing. Miller said his background in information technology and prior experience as the Technology/Automation Resource Prosecutor (TARP) for the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services (MOPS) will enable a smoother transition and improved efficiency.
Miller received his law degree in May 2007 from the Regent University School of Law in Virginia and then served as an assistant prosecutor in Christian County. From there, Miller worked as the TARP for MOPS. In that role, he trained local prosecutors and their support staff on using courtroom technology, office and case management, and other topics. He also served as a special prosecutor, assisting new prosecutors on child sex cases and as a liaison between prosecutors and state agencies.
From MOPS, Miller moved to his current full-time role as the first assistant prosecuting attorney to Christopher D. Wilson in Callaway County. In Callaway County, Wilson said Miller mostly covers cases involving crimes against children, traffic offenses and felony assaults at the Fulton State Hospital. Miller said he also does IT work for his office and continues to be a member of training faculties for the Missouri Association for Prosecuting Attorneys, where he trains new prosecutors on DWI and child abuse topics. Miller will continue to work under Wilson as the Holts Summit role is part time.
Wilson said Miller's broad experience will be a great asset to the Holts Summit community.
"Ben's done a lot of everything," Wilson said. "When I say he was a resource prosecutor for MOPS, not only would he assist prosecutors throughout the state with different cases, but he also taught."
Miller is a Holts Summit resident, and said he is excited to serve his community.
"The idea to be able to serve at home for the city I live in and make sure public safety is something important as a resident in Holts Summit is really big to me," he said.