Norristown chooses Michael Trail as police chief

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Michael Trail is set to become Norristown’s next chief of police.

Norristown Municipal Council will vote Tuesday evening to officially appoint Trail and name James Angelucci as his deputy. Trail, who is currently Lansdale’s chief of police, is expected to begin Nov. 3.

“We welcome him to Norristown and look forward to seeing his experience and expertise guide his leadership in our community,” said Norristown Council President Rebecca Smith in a statement.

Trail would become Norristown’s fourth police chief in four years. His immediate predecessor, former Chief Jacqueline Bailey-Davis, resigned in 2024 after less than a year on the job.

She followed in the steps of former Chief Derrick Wood, who resigned after a short stint in 2022, and former Chief Mark Talbot, who left in 2021 after eight years as top cop. The Norristown Police Department serves approximately 35,000 residents and operates on a $16.3 million annual budget.

Trail brings more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement. The University of Pittsburgh alumnus first got started as a police officer in Morrisville in 1991. He later served in Baltimore in 1997 before heading to Lansdale in 2002.

From there, Trail worked his way up from patrol to become borough’s top cop in 2018. Councilmembers and the municipal administrator landed on Trail after sifting through a pool of 51 applicants. The top three candidates were later interviewed in front of the community.

”Chief Trail’s previous experience as a police chief includes work that will be important here in Norristown, including building trust with the community, partnering with outside agencies to address calls related to mental health and housing needs, and strengthening recruitment,” Smith said.

Trail did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.

Since the departure of Bailey-Davis, Angelucci served as acting police chief and will continue to serve in that role until Trail’s first day.