BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Police Chief Michelle Kott said she will handpick city officers to represent the Bethlehem Police Department while working with the state Office of Attorney General Drug Task Force program on a part-time, overtime basis.
The task force as a whole is tasked to investigate, apprehend and prosecute drug traffickers and drug trafficking organizations statewide, with the local officers to be reimbursed by the state to focus primarily on illegal drug operations in the Lehigh Valley.
“The scope of this task force is laser-focused on drug trafficking and the movement of considerable amount of narcotics."Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott
At a City Council meeting Wednesday, Kott said methamphetamine is “a real issue” around the city and beyond.
“The scope of this task force is laser-focused on drug trafficking and the movement of considerable amounts of narcotics,” said Kott, who, under the agreement, would have to sign off on any future joint operations involving city officers.
BPD is free to back out of the annually recurring partnership with a 30-day notice.
'I'm trying to be modest, but we're the best'
City Council unanimously approved the partnership, meaning more resources, training and experience are on the way for the officers once selected. Other police departments that also have joined the task force include Allentown, and Upper Macungie and Palmer townships.
Kott said the Bethlehem vice unit has seized over $2 million this year.
A proud chief, Kott said, “I’m trying to be modest, but we’re the best.”
“It basically affords us the opportunity to capitalize resources and expertise."Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott, on the state drug task force partnership
She said there are some multilingual officers among the ranks, which would fill a current task force need.
“It basically affords us the opportunity to capitalize resources and expertise,” Kott said. “They’re in desperate need of Spanish-speaking officers for various details, where the individuals that are being interacted with only speak Spanish.”
Past city investments in officer language training appear to have paid off, Councilwoman Rachel Leon said.
Back in June 2023, the previous City Council panel — made up of the same current members except for Bryan Callahan, Colleen Laird — voted against the police department joining a regional human trafficking task force.
Dissent stemmed from what would have been the involvement of a division of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement if the partnership was approved.
Some officials argued such a partnership would jeopardize trust between the city and local undocumented residents.
