Brewer swears in longtime officer as chief

BREWER – There’s a new police chief in town.

And a new captain, a new lieutenant, two new sergeants and two new corporals – all hired from within Brewer Police Department ranks.

All have new jobs, but their faces are very familiar.

Lt. Perry Antone was sworn in Friday as chief; Sgt. Jason Moffitt is a captain; Sgt. Chris Martin now holds the rank of lieutenant; Cpls. David Lord and Richard Smith are sergeants; and Officers Roger Hershey and Anthony Pinette are the department’s new corporals.

Antone, a 25-year veteran policeman, replaces Chief Steven Barker, who is retiring at the end of the month after nearly 30 years on the force.

“I have complete confidence this change will go seamlessly … because of the foundation that was laid” by Barker, Antone said just before he was pinned with his new chief’s badge, handed on from the outgoing chief.

After all seven police officers were sworn in, Mayor Gail Kelly was the first to shake their hands.

Kelly said it was unique to hire so many from within one small department. “It’s wonderful because it’s a team that works well together,” the mayor said. “It’s a highly gifted team – [outgoing] Chief Barker has brought them up well.

“It’s wonderful to have the continuity,” Kelly added.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at noon Friday at Brewer City Hall, with city officials, family members of the promoted officers and visiting law enforcement officials from Bangor and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department attending.

Each officer had the opportunity to invite family members to the front to stand with them during the actual pinning. Antone was joined by his wife and son and his father, who nervously pinned the chief’s badge on him.

“My friends and my comrades, I think we’re going to do a good job,” Antone said to the group after the entire ceremony was completed.

Deputy City Clerk Pamela Ryan conducted the ceremony.

Barker, wearing a sweater and sitting in the back row, piped up a few times during the gathering with a joke, and afterward was beaming.

“I am very happy with the transition,” he said. “It’s nice to see the department in very capable, competent hands.”

Barker’s last day on the job officially is Sunday but his office at the police station already is cleaned out, he said.

After the ceremony, friends and family gathered at the police station for a reception.

“Perry is such a wonderful guy – we are very lucky,” Kelly said. “Everybody [in the department] knows each other and [they] work well together. It’s good for the city.”