Meet The New Central Bucks Regional Police Chief

Karl E. Knott has been appointed as Chief of Police for the Central Bucks Regional Police Commission, which serves the boroughs of Chalfont, Doylestown, and New Britain.

Knott will take over as Chief of the Central Bucks Regional Police Department effective February 9, 2018.

Current Police Chief James Donnelly is retiring after a 50-year career in the field.

Knott is currently a captain reporting directly to the chief. The Commission unanimously chose Knott from the 23 candidates who applied for the position, according to information from Doylestown Borough.

“The Police Commission conducted a year-long search and I can’t think of anyone more qualified to take over as Chief than Karl," Donnelly said.

About Knott:

• He has a 34-year career in policing that began in 1984 at Abington Township Police Department and appointed to Chief of Police at Chalfont Borough Police Department in 2014. When Chalfont joined the Central Bucks Regional Police Department in 2016, Knott became the Captain of Patrol.
• Knott’s extensive training and leadership abilities have prepared him for this position. His background includes the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School of Government National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Executive Education program, Department of Homeland Security Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance and completed a one-year assignment at the Interagency Threat Assessment Coordination Group (ITACG), located at the National Counterterrorism Institute Center in Washington D.C.
• Knott’s broad experience includes various positions of progressively greater responsibilities including patrol command, special investigations, narcotics, emergency management and as a regional commander for Montgomery County’s Major Incident Response Team.
• He has significant experience working in a joint agency environment which included command positions supporting the 2009 G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, PA.
• Knott is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the DEA Drug Unit Commanders Academy and was awarded a one-year Fellowship to the FBI Leadership Development Institute located at Quantico, VA. Knott holds two Masters Degrees, one in Criminal Justice and the other in Public Safety Management.