Durham Makes Conn. Cop Its New Police Chief

Durham, N.C. — Jose Lopez Sr., an assistant police chief in Hartford, Conn., was named Thursday as the new police chief in Durham.

Lopez, who was introduced at a morning news conference, said he was humbled and at a loss for words about being picked for the job.

He will start his new position Sept. 1 and replace Chief Steve Chalmers, who will retire at the end of the year. Lopez's annual salary will be $125,000.

The new chief quickly met with favor Thursday when he announced during the news conference that he planned to move the police department forward and put the flawed Duke University lacrosse team sexual assault investigation in the past.

"I don't really believe the city of Durham is defined by Duke lacrosse and neither is this esteemed police department," Lopez said.

An independent panel plans to begin reviewing the police department's investigation of the notorious case on Friday.

City Manager Patrick Baker said selecting Lopez was a tough decision, but he was the best person for the job and the best choice for the community.

Baker said Lopez was selected because of his stance on community policing. He said Lopez has a reputation for being out on the street with the cops and community.

Baker said one of his top priorities for Lopez will be to improve the clearance rate on overall crime. He said Durham police have improved their clearance rate to better than the national average in recent years, but he wants more crimes solved.

Lopez was selected after a seven-month search process. He has served in Hartford for more than 22 years and has worked as an investigator with the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, which is the state attorney general's department and includes the New Jersey State Police and other law enforcement agencies.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Lopez holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, with a minor in police science, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, according to the Hartford Police Department's Web site.

He also served in the U.S. Air Force as a law enforcement specialist and received an honorable discharge in 1980.

Lopez was one of three finalists for the job including Durham Deputy Police Chief Ronald Hodge.

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Latest Comments

"Nancy, I was very disappointed in the justice system with Nifong. He even got to go out the way he wanted. He got his July retirement date. Hudson and cronies gave it to him. Not surprised about the handling of the casework, but didn't know that. Thanks for the info."

I look forward to Nifong's criminal hearing next. Let's see if the judge will be as forgiving as hudson was.

Nancy
July 20, 2007 8:19 p.m.

you will never win...talk about school systems, its "your" school system. what you typed (you're) means "you are school systems". I learned that in a southern elementary school. that sentence of yours is the ultimate in foolishness.

as far as Durham's police chief goes, the lacrosse situation has reached a satisfactory conclusion, with the innocent cleared and the man responsible (nifong)getting his just punishment. our new police chief needs to focus on the REAL shame and major problem facing Durham...the gang issue. If he can do that, he's got my support.

evilelvi11
July 20, 2007 12:01 p.m.

DURHAM, where's that? Ohh yeah you know the guys accused of sexually assulting a striper. Oh yeah the ones who got away with it on a technicality. LOL LOL LOL Durham LOL LOL LOL Come on Durham going to always be known for that for years just like OJ simpson, Vick on the Falcons, Mike Tyson and the bitting of the ear, Hell their still talking about the Princess Diana, Michael Jordon all high profile BS

A Concerned Citizen
July 20, 2007 12:59 a.m.

Guess southerners are finally realizing that in order for them to fix things, they have to hire a Yankee to show them how it's done. LOL! Better get some Yankee's in here to fix you're school system while you're at it.

scal
July 19, 2007 11:17 p.m.

Throw me the whip,the original americam indian are not illegal immigration we were here when the white man came to american,so the whites are illegals just as the hispanic,not us the indian.