Police: Former Brewster Cop Barricades Himself in Mahopac
A Mahopac man, who was once on the force of the Village of Brewster and City of Yonkers police departments, barricaded himself in his home and encouraged a confrontation with law enforcement on Friday, March 30, according to the Carmel Police Department.
Patrick Frezza, a 50-year-old Mahopac resident, allegedly got in a verbal argument with his wife and fired several gunshots inside of their Wayacross Road residence. No injuries were reported, but the wife fled with the couple’s children and left Frezza alone in the home.
According to police, Frezza then contacted his wife via phone and advised her to call the police because he wanted to have a confrontation with police. At approximately 7:52 a.m., she then contacted police and informed them that her husband was emotionally distraught and has a large cache of firearms in the residence.
Police arrived on the scene and evacuated the surrounding and adjoining houses.
The Putnam County Emergency Response Team also responded to the location.
Carmel Police Officers Thomas Raffaele and Richard Rosario convinced Frezza to voluntarily surrender to the police at approximately 8:45 a.m.
He was transported to Putnam Hospital Center and underwent a mental evaluation.
Police report that further investigation revealed that Frezza had placed an arsenal of loaded rifles and guns on his bed. Police believe that it was in anticipation of a fire fight with the officers.
Frezza was notably the handler of the K-9 dogs of the Brewster Police Department.
Three years ago, Frezza came to the Brewster Police Department with Caesar from the Yonkers Police Department. And when handler and companion were not on duty, Caesar lived at home with Frezza and his family. This past December, Caesar succumbed to the cancer he had been battling and passed away.
On February 2, Frezza participated in press conference that introduced Cobra, a new German Shepard K-9 dog to the Brewster Police Department.
Frezza resigned from the Brewster police department on February 24. He cited his personal reasons behind his retirement, according to Brewster Police Chief John Del Gardo.
Frezza has been charged with three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, three counts of second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor, and one of child endangerment and is being held at the Putnam County Correction Facility without bail. He is scheduled to appear in Carmel Town Court on April 10.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.