Officer Ryan Emerich from the Coplay Borough Police Department was named the new chief of police Sept. 13.

Emerich, 36, is a graduate of Kutztown High School, where he was involved in wrestling, football and EMS work.

Besides helping with his family’s business, he started lifeguarding at 15 and was a volunteer for several EMS ambulance crews.

After high school, Emerich aspired to a career in the military but was denied the opportunity due to having very poor vision. He eventually had Lasik surgery to improve his sight and then attended community college. He became a pre-service hire for Reading EMT.

In conjunction with serving as an EMT, he attended the police academy, where perfect attendance is a requirement. Emerich said his academy captain pulled him aside after hearing he was also working as an EMT, indicating he would never be able to become a police officer while holding down a full-time job.

However, Emerich said he was on his own from a young age and was not afraid to push himself and work toward his goals. As a result, he scored a 96% on his final test at the academy.

Emerich continued working in Reading, where he suffered some on-the-job injuries. After a long recovery, Emerich was hired as a part-time officer in North Catasauqua and eventually moved into a part-time officer role in Coplay in 2016.

Emerich became a full-time Coplay police officer in 2017.

Now serving as chief of the Coplay Police Department, Emerich notes the department is in a unique situation where half of the current force is looking to possibly retire within six months to a year. Emerich said the borough will have a young department and he wants “to give them a good working environment” and prepare the officers with appropriate training and certifications “so Coplay is in a good place for the future.”

Currently, the Coplay Police Department employs four full-time officers and one part-time officer. Based on budget, the department is down two officers and Emerich is looking to hire in the very near future.

Emerich said his first 90 days in the position entail “reviewing all policies and solving simple problems first - making small differences now to make it easier for the force.”

Emerich and his wife, Alicia, have a 2-year-old son named Cameron.

In his spare time, Emerich enjoys grilling and smoking meats and entering barbecue competitions. He is usually invited to friends’ picnics with the assumption he will be the grillmaster.