Ex-Enterprise Fire Company President Faces Charges

HATBORO, PA — One year after being appointed as the president and captain of the Enterprise Fire Company, Ernest Brown has been relieved of his duties after criminal charges were filed in a neighboring community.

Patch has learned that Brown was removed from his position earlier this year, yet no mention was made about it by Hatboro Borough Council at its meetings, nor the Enterprise Fire Company, or the Second Alarmers, where Brown also served as a volunteer.

Brown was charged with two counts of theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility, and an unlawful use of a computer. The charges were filed by the Upper Moreland Police Department.

He faces a court hearing at 8:30 a.m. on July 30 before Judge Thomas DelRicci.

Patch sent an email to Mayor Tim Schultz, Borough Manager Diane Hegele, Police Chief Mark Ruegg, Council President George Bollendorf, and council members Alex Myers and Amanda Jacobus, who chairs the borough's public safety committee. Patch also reached out to the Enterprise Fire Company for comment as well.

"The Borough was made aware of criminal charges filed against a volunteer firefighter from Enterprise Fire Company," Borough Manager Diane Hegele said in a statement Friday on the borough's behalf.

"These charges were filed against the individual by a neighboring police department who was investigating an incident that took place involving this individual. This individual is not an employee of the Borough of Hatboro nor was the Borough of Hatboro affiliated with the incident the individual is being charged for," Hegele said. "As this is not a Borough matter and we do not comment on matters involving other agencies, the Borough has no further comment on the matter."

Patch reported this week on a Horsham fire company employee who posed as a police officer during a road rage incident in Hatboro. Following the incident, the Horsham Fire Company president put out a statement that the person had been dismissed.

Brown also served as a bus driver for the Upper Moreland School District and as one of the driver trainers. He also worked full-time as an Emergency Medical Technician for the Second Alarmers Rescue Squad out of its Hatboro Station on York Road.

After being named fire company president in February 2024, Brown made a cameo appearance at the Hatboro Borough Council, getting introduced to a round of applause before heading out to work at his full-time job. Brown replaced Steve Ide as president.

Brown was also a driver trainer for the Second Alarmers Rescue Squad, assisting with the training process.

In July 2012, Brown's house caught fire in Upper Moreland Township when he and his family were headed to a sporting event, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.