Congratulations, Chris Signore!

Newtown Township Police Officer Ranked Top 10 in Nationwide SWAT Physical Fitness Challenge

People in Places Feature 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.

Officer Signore has been serving on the force for 10 years

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

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.

Chris successfully completed the challenge, and his score was submitted to the NTOA. He was proud of his accomplishment and his impressive performance that day, but admitted that he never expected what came next. Just a short time later, Chris was notified that he scored in the top 10 of nationwide participants in the Physical Fitness Qualification Challenge.

Chris Signore on duty with Newtown Township

I have always been physically active, and I work out seven days a week,” said Chris. “My philosophy as an officer has always been to be prepared for someone bigger, better and stronger than me.

Chris said his training consists of strength and conditioning along with cardiovascular exercise. He also trains in Mixed Martial Arts, and is a certified Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) instructor. GST, a defensive tactics system based on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, incorporates techniques into a system designed to help officers humanely prevail against larger and stronger opponents.

Chris now works with his fellow officers as a use-of-force instructor, teaching them the art of Jiu-Jitsu as a means of apprehending suspects with less force. You will often find him training alongside other officers and FBI agents at Onyx Combat Sports in Newtown Square.

I have also recently started teaching these defensive tactics at the police academy,” Chris said, “and I hope to help expand this program to a national level.

Chris has surely found his home in our Marple Newtown community. He recently moved to Broomall and said he loves to serve and protect our residents. He also hopes that his story helps inspire others to explore a career in law enforcement. “What better way to serve our community than to work to make it a better place?”