In a unanimous vote, the Wyoming City Council has named Kimberly Koster its new director of public safety during its regular April 16 meeting. She will be sworn in Wednesday, April 25.
In this role, Koster will lead a team of nearly 130 full-time personnel, including 86 sworn police officers and 29 full-time firefighters. She is the first woman to lead the Department of Public Safety. Koster will replace Chief James E. Carmody, who will retire on April 26 after more than four decades of service in public safety – including 11 with the City of Wyoming.
“Capt. Koster has been an exceptional officer and instrumental member of our public safety team, and I am fully confident she will soar in this new role,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. “She has gone above and beyond in her various positions, and I believe is a role model and trusted figure for our residents.
“We look forward to seeing her future accomplishments as she leads our public safety team in its ongoing mission to protect and to serve our community.”
With more than two decades of law enforcement experience, Koster began her career with Wyoming as a school resource and community policing officer. In this position, she worked with neighborhood groups and organized community events to bridge gaps and build solidarity among neighbors.
She worked her way up through the ranks to detective, sergeant, lieutenant and, most recently, captain, a position she has held since 2010. In this role, she assisted with the formation of the Public Safety Department through the administrative consolidation of police and fire services, created a new staffing model, facilitated dispatch operation transitions and led a collaborative effort in the development of the department’s five-year strategic plan.
“It has been an honor to watch Capt. Koster grow professionally and to form such strong bonds of trust with colleagues and the public,” Chief Carmody said. “This department has some of the very best public safety professionals. They work extremely hard, and Kim is at the forefront of this team.
“I have complete confidence in her ability and look forward to watching her take this department to the next level, while providing second-to-none police and fire services to our community.”
As the chief of police and fire services, Koster plans to develop strategies that will improve the delivery of the department’s public safety services. She will ensure the open and lasting dialogue necessary to keep the community safe is maintained and members of the community are served with dignity, respect, fairness and compassion.
“The Wyoming community has been such an incredible place to begin and to progress in my career,” Koster said. “Chief Carmody has been a phenomenal mentor, and I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to take the reins and lead this first-rate public safety department, which is committed to exceptional service and strong community relations.”
Throughout her career, Koster has been recognized with several commendations, including the Life Saving Award, Chief’s Award of Excellence, Outstanding Young Public Safety Officer and Safe Driving Award.
She served as a 911 communications supervisor, during which time she led the consolidation of police and fire operations in multiple communities, including Wyoming’s move to Kent County. She has also served as lead detective in homicide investigations and as a crisis negotiator, among other critical roles throughout her career.
With a commitment to training, she graduated with Class 251 of the FBI National Academy. She also attended the Leadership Institute training hosted by Grand Rapids Police Department and the Police and Staff Command training hosted by Northwestern University.
Koster received her associates degree from Grand Rapids Junior College, her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University and her master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Ferris State University.
She resides in Grand Rapids with her wife, Marie, and three of her children, Bonham, Cash and Jett. She also has two adult stepchildren, Samantha and Alex.