New officer added to South Buffalo Township police force, department wages increased

South Buffalo Township officials have added a familiar face to their police department and raised hourly pay for public safety.

Christopher Kovacs, 33, of Penn Township was unanimously hired as a full-time patrolman Monday night.

He was selected out of a dozen candidates and four finalists. Supervisor Paul Bergad administered the oath of office.

“It feels good to get a wider range of terrain and (serve) different types of people,” Kovacs said shortly after receiving his badge. “Working next to South Buffalo for the past four years, I’ve gotten to know the people and officers and wanted to expand into a larger service area.”

Kovacs has been with Freeport police the past four years, two as a part-time patrolman and two full time. He is expected to resign from the borough within the next few weeks.

Township police Chief Jeffrey J. Kuntz said he anticipates his new hire formally starting sometime in early November.

“Chris was always the one that was at the top of the list for us,” Kuntz said of the hiring process. “We know him. He was from a neighboring department. He knows the area. We’ve backed him up. He’s backed us up. The community knows him, so he is a very good fit for us.”

Kovacs graduated from Penn-Trafford High School in 2006 and from the police academy at Westmoreland County Community College in 2017. He worked as a part-time officer in Trafford before becoming full time in Freeport.

Kovacs said he wanted to become a police officer because he enjoys helping and talking with people, and seeing a range of different people in different circumstances.

He said he hopes to focus on community-oriented policing and be a positive presence in the township.

The chief said this is the first time in the history of the department that South Buffalo has had three full-time officers, including the chief. There are no part-timers.

“They’ve always maintained two full-time officers,” he said. “In the past, they’ve tried to supplement with part-time. It has become, over the years, a revolving door, trying to get part-time officers (and) trying to keep part-time officers.”

The township created the third full-time officer position earlier this year and began advertising for candidates in April.

The other full-time township officer is Aaron Fuesting.

Bergad said Kovacs has a very good reputation and will be a welcome addition to the township force.

Commissioners had a brief executive session Monday to discuss personnel and legal matters.

They returned to pass a motion raising wages of the two full-time patrolmen from $17.50 per hour to $19.50 per hour, and the chief’s pay from $24.50 per hour to $26.50 per hour.

Supervisor chairman Joe Charlton said the bump in pay was to make the township more competitive and hopefully attract more officers when needed.

“There’s a lack of applicants, and we find that it is very difficult to hire police officers,” Charlton said. “You have to have a competitive wage.”