Saturday, October 3, 2026
Peter DiMaggio was off duty, on vacation with his family and friends at an indoor water park, when he heard a woman shouting behind him. He turned and saw her pull an infant from a 5-foot-deep pool. The child was blue and not breathing. Without hesitating, DiMaggio took the child into his arms and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
He alternated chest compressions and rescue breaths for over 10 minutes, urged by fellow officers nearby not to stop. Then, suddenly, the child coughed, spat up water and began to breathe. Color returned to her face. The girl survived, and later made a full recovery.
That moment — one DiMaggio said he had never witnessed in his years of administering CPR — became a powerful example, cited on Dec. 9, when the Glen Cove City Council unanimously appointed DiMaggio, 50, deputy chief of the city Police Department.
The appointment followed the recent promotion of Christopher Ortiz to chief after the retirement of William Whitton, who led the department for 18 years. DiMaggio was sworn in at last week’s City Council meeting before a packed chamber filled with family members, colleagues and city officials, marking a milestone in his 25-year career with the department.
Before administering the oath of office, Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck praised the department’s leadership and its relationship with city government. “I am the mayor of the city of Glen Cove, who has the best police department anywhere,” Panzenbeck said. “And I absolutely mean that.”
DiMaggio is a lifelong resident who graduated from Glen Cove High School in 1994. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Long Island University’s C.W. Post campus, and was pursuing a master’s degree in accounting when he decided the profession was not for him.
“Pete thought accounting was too boring,” Panzenbeck said, drawing laughter from the audience as she recounted his decision to take the Glen Cove Police Department exam instead. He became a patrol officer in 2000, was promoted to sergeant in 2007 and then to lieutenant in 2015. As a lieutenant, he supervised the department’s entire uniformed patrol force.
Panzenbeck detailed DiMaggio’s extensive training and credentials, noting his participation in the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, a competitive executive program focused on leadership and administrative skills. She also cited his completion of senior management training for police, and certifications as a field training officer, a standardized field sobriety testing officer, a hostage negotiator and a narcotics field-testing officer. He is a certified motorcycle officer as well.
In addition to his training, DiMaggio has received 32 departmental commendations, two awards for saving lives and the Exceptional Police Duty Award.
One of those lifesaving awards stemmed from the 2023 incident recounted above, at the Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park in Connecticut, which DiMaggio described in a phone interview with the Herald. He recalled that the trip included several Glen Cove police officers and their families — and that the rescue unfolded in seconds.
“I had never actually seen CPR work like that before,” DiMaggio said. “You usually get a pulse, but it’s a false pulse. This time she came back.”
The child, he said, is now a teenager living in South Carolina.
Council members spoke unanimously in favor of DiMaggio’s appointment, praising both his professional accomplishments and his character.
Councilwoman Marsha Silverman described the appointment as a testament to the strength and depth of the Police Department’s leadership. “We can have one chief retire, promote a deputy chief, and now appoint a new deputy chief so seamlessly,” Silverman said. “That speaks volumes about this department.”
Councilwoman Danielle Fugazi-Scagliola reflected on knowing DiMaggio for years and called the vote an easy one, citing his integrity and commitment to the community. Councilman Mike Ktistakis said that DiMaggio would lead with humility, and Councilman Kevin Maccarone emphasized the sacrifices made by DiMaggio’s family throughout his career.
“Thank you for lending him to us,” Maccarone said, addressing DiMaggio’s wife and children.
After the swearing-in, Adrienne DiMaggio, Peter’s wife of 19 years, spoke briefly. “He studied endless hours to get in this position,” she said. “It’s been a long time, and it’s well deserved.”
Panzenbeck also highlighted DiMaggio’s close ties to the community, noting that his son, Dylan, is the Glen Cove High School football team’s quarterback, and that his father rarely misses one of his games.
After being sworn in, DiMaggio stood with Adrienne and their four children and addressed the council, calling the promotion humbling. He thanked Panzenbeck, the City Council, Ortiz and Whitton as well as the men and women of the department. He pledged to continue giving “110 percent” in service to the city.
He also reflected on his parents’ immigration from Italy to Glen Cove in 1969, saying the city welcomed them and gave his family the opportunity to build a life.
“This city opened its arms to my parents,” he said. “Everything that I have is because of the city of Glen Cove.”
Ortiz said DiMaggio was his clear choice for second-in-command. “This was a very important promotion for me,” Ortiz said. “You have the support of the troops, the administration and the entire city behind you.”
