Farmington Hills council appoints John Pigott as police chief in 5-1 vote

Farmington Hills City Council voted 5-1 Monday night to approve the appointment of John Pigott as the city’s next police chief, following a multi-stage recruitment and interview process run by the city’s Human Resources department.

The decision came after City Manager Mekshin recommended Pigott and HR Director Lori Brown outlined a nationwide recruitment that produced 11 applicants and layered internal and external interviews. Brown said the process “included both internal and external candidates” and that the city “mirrored national search models” to ensure broad outreach and compliance with legal requirements.

Why it matters: the police chief is one of the city’s most visible public-facing officials and will lead the Farmington Hills Police Department’s strategic, operational and community engagement work.

Council members spoke in support during the meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Dwyer, who introduced the motion, praised Pigott’s long service in Farmington Hills and said the role is “probably the most important position in the city.” Council members noted Pigott’s progression through department ranks and his academic credentials.

HR Director Lori Brown summarized the selection steps: a review of 11 applicants, a first phase that narrowed the field to five candidates with an interview panel including senior leaders and union representatives, and a second phase with the city manager, assistant city manager and HR director. Brown said the process incorporated public-facing questions to assess community engagement while focusing on operational qualifications.

Pigott, who served as interim chief before the vote, thanked council and the department in brief remarks after the confirmation and said he intends to be accessible and collaborative: “I’m approachable. I want to find out what the issues are,” he said, adding his commitment to “do my very level best to live up to the expectation of this job.”

Action and next steps: The appointment was approved by roll-call style voice vote recorded as 5 in favor, 1 opposed; the council did not specify individual roll-call votes in the record. Pigott and the department plan a promotional ceremony at a later date to formalize internal promotions tied to the leadership change.

Context: City Manager Mekshin and several council members described the appointment as the result of a deliberate succession plan and a competitive process. Council Member Boulware said she wished there had been greater direct resident input during the interview stages but affirmed she would support the nominee.

The council’s formal action completes the hiring process described earlier by HR and the city manager; Pigott will assume full responsibilities as police chief subject to the city’s standard onboarding and any internal promotional decisions the chief makes.