Chester police officer arrested in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN — A Town of Chester police officer was charged with public lewdness and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanors, according to the City of Middletown police. The police confirmed they arrested David Firester, 34, on Friday, April 23, for two incidents in Middletown the previous day. In the first instance, he walked up to two girls near Academy Avenue and exposed his genitals to them. Later, while sitting in a car on Grand Avenue, he exposed himself to two other girls. The judge sent Firester to Orange County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond. Firester has since been released. The town police department has suspended him for 30 days with pay, pending a disciplinary hearing. Firester started his employment with the town police department in September 2008 and now makes $53,250 a year. Previous to that he was a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The Middletown police is asking members of the public to call 343-3151 to report any similar encounter with Firester they may have witnessed.