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DURHAM -- Police Chief Jose Lopez says he intends to hold off until January on naming a permanent replacement for the deputy chief who lost her job in connection with the Durham Police Department's overtime scandal.
Lopez said Friday the delay will give him time to size up potential replacements and for former Deputy Police Chief Beverly "B.J." Council's salary to roll off the department's budget.
In the meantime, Assistant Chief Jim Bjurstrom will fill in as acting deputy chief for operations.
The assignment makes him the commander of all the department's patrol officers and detectives, save for those assigned to internal affairs, training, administration and community services.
Bjurstrom normally heads Northside operations, leading the officers and detectives who work out of the department's District 1, 2 and 5 offices.
Those units cover the parts of the city that lie north of the Durham Freeway and Angier Avenue, including downtown and North-East Central Durham.
The Northside command also supervises the department's K-9, traffic and bicycle units.
Council put in her retirement papers late last month after auditors found that she'd personally approved 10 of 12 overtime claims submitted in the previous year by former Officer Alesha Robinson-Taylor.
Robinson-Taylor, who supervised towing and the secondary employment or moonlighting of her fellow officers, received $62,583 in overtime payments. Her base annual salary was $52,656.
Auditors found that Council signed off on the claims without requiring adequate documentation. She told them she was allowing Robinson-Taylor to earn extra time because the department wasn't allowing the officer to moonlight.
Council's retirement is effective Dec. 31. She remains on the payroll until then, and is out on leave. Her salary is $103,455 a year.
City officials announced Thursday that Robinson-Taylor had been fired. She has retained an attorney and is expected to appeal.
