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Berkeley Police Chief Roy Meisner didn’t hand in his badge when he retired Dec. 30.  

With the search for his replacement expected to continue into February, Meisner will remain chief until a successor is named. 

“Roy agreed to stay on to provide for a smooth transition and a selection process that will be fair to all applicants,” City Manager Phil Kamlarz said.  

Kamlarz’ other option would have been to appoint a captain as the acting chief. 

On Monday, the city ended a nationwide recruitment effort to fill the police chief post, said Dave Hodgkins, the acting director of human resources. 

Hodgkins said the city received dozens of applications, including several from within the BPD. Community panels will interview selected candidates in February, said Kamlarz, who expected to recommend a successor to the City Council before the close of the month. 

The search for a replacement to replace Meisner, who announced his retirement in September, is on schedule, Hodgkins said. He added that the publications where the city posted the job opening required seven week lead times to place the ad. 

Meisner will be paid $79.40 an hour for his work, based on his $162,000 salary as chief, and will also begin collecting his pension which state law sets at 90 percent of his highest annual salary, which amounts to $146,007 a year..