From news release
Rock River Current
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FREEPORT — Freeport Police Chief Matthew Summers will retire next month after 28 years with the department, including the last four at the top of the ranks.

Summers last day will be April 21. He plans to join the Pecatonica Police Department as its next chief on April 24.

Lt. Chris Shenberger has been named as the interim chief for Freeport.

Summers joined the Freeport Police Department in 1995 and served in a variety of capacities including in the Detective Bureau, community policing and the Emergency Response Team. He has been a shift sergeant, administrative lieutenant, operations lieutenant and deputy chief of police. He became the chief in 2019.

“It has truly been an honor to work with both past and present officers of the Freeport Police Department,” Summers said in a news release. “It has equally been an honor to work for and be supported by the citizens of Freeport.”

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Summers is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and the FBI National Academy.

He’s credited with implementing crime-fighting technology throughout the city, including the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system, license-plate readers and the new residential video doorbell program. He was named the city’s Department Head of the Year in 2021.

“It has been a pleasure working with the chief these past five and a half years,” Freeport City Manager Randy Bukas said in a news release. “He’s been a team leader, not only in the police department but within the city staff. His innovations brought us license-plate readers, ShotSpotter, and Tip411. He will be missed, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”