Former police officer Matt Hearne remains behind bars with his bond denied here in Polk County after he attempted to pose as the Buchanan Chief of Police in what the Georgia Bureau of Investigation described as “harassing communications with his ex-wife.

Hearne, 39, was booked on Monday on felony charges of impersonating a public officer or employee, identity theft – fraud when using/possessing identifying information concerning a person, violation of oath by a public officer and a misdemeanor for harassing communications.

Per the GBI, the Polk County Police asked for help from the GBI on September 25 for the investigation into Hearne’s activities as a public official.

“The investigation was connected to allegations that Hearne was portraying himself as the Buchanan Chief of Police and sending harassing communications to his ex-wife,” representatives from the GBI told Polk Today.

Buchanan Police Chief D.S. Ratner had no comment on the incident as of the previous posting on Hearne’s arrest.

Hearne was the husband of Polk County Police Detective Kristen Hearne, who was shot and killed in the line of duty six years ago. He also had previously served with the Aragon Police Department. His arrest came three days after the anniversary of her death.

He had been married after the loss of Det. Hearne, a relationship that ended with a divorce in June.