Freeport hires new police chief as officer and former chief resign

A retired Plum police sergeant has been named Freeport’s new police chief.

Council unanimously voted Monday night to hire Matthew Feldmeier to head the borough force in what elected leaders called a transition within the department.

Former Chief Eric Belton resigned to take a job with Plum police, and patrolman Chris Kovacs was hired as a South Buffalo officer.

Belton joined the Freeport force in November 2015 and served as chief for more than a year.

Kovacs worked for the borough for four years.

“They did their jobs well, and I wish the best of luck to them,” council President Clinton Warnick said.

Both of their resignations were accepted shortly before Feldmeier was hired.

Feldmeier, 58, of Plum is tasked with leading a department that has only one part-time officer, Terry Lucas, on the roster.

Mayor James Swartz Jr. said Lucas’ time has been limited because he also works as an officer at a hospital. State police respond to emergency calls in the absence of Freeport police.

“I’m very excited and look forward to getting to work,” said Feldmeier, a 1981 Penn Hills graduate. “I think it’s a nice community, and I look forward to meeting the new police officers that will be coming on board.

”Never really thought of a police department being taken over where there’s no patrolman, but I look forward to getting involved with all those guys and being a mentor to them.”

Council voted to approve hiring two officer applicants, provided they do well in interviews with the personnel committee, mayor and Feldmeier. The names of the potential hires were not released.

Swartz said Feldmeier was the only applicant for the position, which has a starting salary of $53,500.

Feldmeier worked in Plum from 1990 through 2015, including a nearly two-year stint as acting chief. When he retired from Plum as a sergeant, he worked part time at other police departments.

Feldmeier earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Community College of Allegheny County and graduated from the county police academy in 1983. He began his career as a part-time officer in Braddock Hills in 1985.

He said he got involved in law enforcement because his late father, Mike Feldmeier, and late uncle, Joe Walker, were officers. His father worked in Penn Hills, while Walker served in Pittsburgh.

“I learned a lot of stuff from the old guys,” Feldmeier said. “I’d hate to say it, but it’s totally a different age right now with police work. Everything’s computerized. When I first got on the job, you had your own (town) dispatchers. … It’s changed a lot. A lot of evolution in police work the past 30 years.”

After working part time since leaving Plum, Feldmeier said he felt the desire to get back out into the field full time. He pledged to be an active chief and not just a daylight administrator.

“I’m a hands-on guy,” he said. “I like to go out and do things. I plan on going out as soon as I get my uniform and hitting the streets. I’m going to have an open door. If somebody needs to call me for something, feel free to call me.”

Swartz praised Feldmeier’s experience.

“He has a very impressive resume,” the mayor said. “Being acting chief down in Plum, I just think he has a lot of knowledge and think he’ll be good for a small town like ours. (He’s) very interested in going out and meeting the businesses.

”That’s what I’d like. I’d like the officers uptown with the business people and getting to know them.”

Kovacs and Belton formally left the Freeport department on Oct. 28 and 29, respectively.

Councilman Joshua James, public safety chairman, said he would have liked to have had more notice about the departures. He called it an “abrupt shakeup” and “not necessarily the most ideal way in terms to split ways.”

“Considering the circumstances of how things unfolded, we’re looking to start fresh with some experience,” he said. “It’s a welcomed change in the borough.”

James did not elaborate further other than to say the former officers left to pursue other jobs.

Neither Kovacs nor Belton returned calls for comment.