Peters Township Resident Becomes New Dormont Police Chief

A Peters Township resident has been hired to become the new police chief for Dormont.

The borough in Allegheny County on Monday night hired current Dormont police Sgt. Michael Bisignani to fill the position of chief at a salary of $90,492.42.

The position is currently held by police Chief Phil Ross, who has served in the Dormont police department for 29 years and plans to retire on March 3. Bisignani will be sworn in as chief that day.

Bisignani said his experience serving as a Dormont police sergeant will be an advantage to him in his new position.

“Dormont is a unique town,” he said. “We’re considered a suburb, but our population makes us almost like a small city. And we share a border with the City of Pittsburgh. That brings a unique challenge to police work here, and that’s what I’ve enjoyed.”

Bisignani, 37, graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy in 1998 and first served as a patrolman in Clairton. He was hired as a patrolman with the Dormont Police Department in 2001.

The Pleasant Hills native now lives in Peters Township, but said he spends more time in Dormont than he does at home.

“I’ve gotten to know the people here (in Dormont) and the people have been great,” Bisignani said. “They’ve really accepted me and welcomed me here. I enjoy it here.”

Bisignani plans to be a working chief. He’ll be switching to the day shift—he’s worked a night shift for much of his career in Dormont—and said he plans to continue police foot patrols through the borough.

This story originally appeared on Dormont-Brookline Patch