Capt. Michelle Kott has been nominated to succeed Mark DiLuzio as Bethlehem’s chief of police.

Mayor Bob Donchez made the announcement in the Rotunda Sept. 23 during a brief press event. He said Kott strongly believes in community policing and will bring a fresh perspective to the role. With strong candidates in an accredited and efficient department, he discounted a nationwide search.

Kott, a 16-year officer in the city, has served throughout the department, from foot patrol to detective to captain of the Professional Standards Division and leader of the Crisis Negotiation Team. She is a graduate of DeSales University, St. Joseph’s University and California University of Pennsylvania, from which she’s earned a doctorate in criminal justice.

Currently celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, the 38-year-old Kott thanked her wife Kristin and children Noah and Allie for standing by her throughout her career, saying, “They’re my Why – for who I am and what I do.

“There is no denying that this is a critical time in law enforcement; one that calls for strong leadership coupled with empathy, compassion, respect and responsibility. I’m an eternal optimist. I know things are going to be tough, I know there are challenges out there, but I truly try to make my positive, contagious attitude rub off on others.”

Kott promised a focus on outreach and communication with residents and the media, recruiting individuals who reflect the Bethlehem community and working on officer safety and wellness. She said reinvesting in community policing will forge stronger bonds, with people getting to know their officers again. “Contact is going to build trust,” she said, while criticizing the department’s lackluster social media presence.

Kott also said her skills as a crisis negotiator will prove invaluable as chief, because the most important part of negotiation is active listening. “Most of the time people that are in crisis just want to be heard. A lot of times when people come to the chief of police, whether they be officers or citizens, you have to hear them out. Perception is huge. You may not think something that happened is real, but to that person, it’s real.

“The cheapest, easiest, most effective thing we can do is to hear them out, is to listen.”

Internally, Kott said the department could use new ideas for officer wellness, such as making better use of an existing employee assistance program, instituting peer support and collaborating with an in-house city Health Department, which is a rarity, as most such are run on the county level.

Kott said she hopes her highly visible position in leadership will inspire girls to enter careers in law enforcement.

City council will vote on Kott’s nomination Oct. 6, and if approved, she will be only the third female police chief in the commonwealth.