NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The California Highway Patrol has named a new commander for the agency’s Northern Division.

Bridget Lott has been appointed to oversee the division, which encompasses 13 Northern California counties – including Lake – and 36,000 miles of interstate, and state and county highways.

Lott, 51, took over the position as of Aug. 31, the CHP said Tuesday.

A 29-year veteran of the CHP, Lott previously had been assistant chief in the Golden Gate Division, with leadership responsibilities for five commands encompassing most of the East Bay, including Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

She also served as transportation management coordinator and occupational safety coordinator for the entire Golden Gate Division, the CHP reported.

Lott’s previous assignments include serving as commander of the CHP’s Redwood City office for four years.

In that capacity, she collaborated with a number of law enforcement agencies and other public and private organizations, as well as homeowners, in developing a working tri-county motorcycle safety task force.

At the same time, Lott helped develop and implement a highly successful older driver traffic safety program which received 100-percent support from the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and county residents. The CHP has since taken the program statewide.
 
Before taking over as Northern Division commander, Lott had worked in the CHP Headquarters office as a commander, overseeing programs including motorcycle safety, grants, transportation planning and older California driver safety.

Lott has worked a variety of other assignments during her career, from the northern to the southern end of the state. Two notable assignments included riding a motorcycle in a supervisory capacity and serving as an administrative assistance to the CHP’s assistant commissioner.

Chief Lott has been an active force in her community as well, serving as a board member for the Assistance League of Amador Valley and previously teaching religious education through her church.

She holds a master’s degree from San Jose State University; a bachelor’s degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; completed an executive level leadership course at the California Leadership Institute, Sacramento; and graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.

The Northern Division is based in Redding.