People in Places
Congratulations, Chris Signore!
Newtown Township Police Officer Ranked Top 10 in Nationwide SWAT Physical Fitness Challenge by Sheila Turner-Hilliard Photos courtesy of Chris Signore Chris Signore always knew he wanted to be a police officer. In fact when Chris was in 8th grade, he made the decision to take as many criminal justice electives as he could in high school, to get a jumpstart on his education. “Growing up, I had a lot of family friends in law enforcement,” Chris explained. “I always knew I wanted to make a difference, and the officers in my life inspired me to take this career path.” After Chris graduated from high school in 2010, he was hired as a corrections officer at George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Glen Mills. He was just 18 years old when he was accepted into the police academy. He graduated later that year, while continuing to work at the prison. Chris spent the next few years working for various police departments in Delaware County, including Ridley, Millbourne and Aldan. Then in 2018, Chris was hired as a Patrolman for the Newtown Township Police Department – a place where Chris made his career goals known and where the Chief of Police listened. “I am very goal-oriented,” said Chris. “When I got to Newtown Township, I sat down with the Chief and laid out my plans and my career timeline.” Aside from effectively serving our Newtown Square residents, Chris also wanted to become a SWAT officer with the Central Delco Tactical Response Team. This team has specialized equipment and training to handle high-risk incidents beyond the capabilities of the police department. Chris knew that his strong work ethic, commitment to the force and consistent physical training would make him qualified for the job, and he was right. Just five months after joining Newtown Township, Chris passed the test and became a SWAT officer and also serves as a sniper and an explosives breacher for the team. It’s a dangerous job that requires its members to be both physically and mentally fit. Quick thinking, teamwork and exceptional strength and endurance are key elements in this line of work. Chris said that there is an annual fitness test that they must pass, but just recently the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) developed a national challenge, to establish a standard for all SWAT officers across the country.
Officer Signore has been serving on the force for 10 years
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Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors
The challenge took place in April 2021, and consisted of an 800-meter sprint, followed by a 400-meter sprint with weights, then burpees, jump squats and pull-ups. If that doesn’t sound exhausting enough, most of the challenge was performed wearing full SWAT gear and a gas mask with no filter. It is the ultimate endurance test with just three minutes to breathe fresh air between challenges. February 2022
