Pittsburg names 25-year department veteran Phil Galer as police chief; succeeds Albanese

Pittsburg has appointed a longtime veteran officer as the next top cop of the city’s Police Department following the retirement announcement of Chief Steve Albanese, city officials said Thursday.

Police Capt. Phil Galer, a 25-year veteran of the Pittsburg Police Department, was selected after a months-long process that included meetings with community members, a department-wide survey and interviews with law enforcement executives and city leadership, city officials said in a statement.