After a six-month hiatus, Durham has a probation director.

The state Department of Corrections announced this afternoon that Tony Taylor (right) has been promoted from assistant to the top manager for Judicial District 14, covering Durham, Orange and Chatham County.

In his new job, Taylor will oversee 122 probation officers and support personnel keeping up with more than 5,000 offenders on probation, parole or community supervision.

The position had been vacant since former manager Tommy Perry retired Oct. 1, 2010.

"Why'd it take so long?" said City Councilman Eugene Brown, a member of the Durham Crime Cabinet who has repeatedly expressed his frustration at the lack of someone in charge of Durham's probation system.

In January, state community corrections Director Tim Moose said the position was going unfilled due to budget constraints. Taylor and fellow assistant director Celeste Kelly of Pittsboro were jointly managing the district in the interim, Moose said.

Taylor's appointment leaves his former position open.

A Raleigh native and graduate of UNC Wilmington, Taylor became an assistant in District 14 after holding the same job in Wake County. He has specialized in electronic house arrest cases and been a chief probation officers and a member of an FBI task force on violent crime.