NEW YORK _ Rochester's police chief and several members of the department's top brass announced their retirements Tuesday amid controversy over the death of Daniel Prude.
As protests have engulfed the city in upstate New York in recent days, activists have called for Chief La'Ron Singletary to step down over the department's handling of the investigation into Prude's death.
Singletary, who as recently as Sunday said he wouldn't resign, slammed "outside entities" for attempting to assail his reputation.
"As a man of integrity, I will not sit idly by while outside entities attempt to destroy my character," he said in a statement. "The events over the past week are an attempt to destroy my character and integrity. The members of the Rochester Police Department and the Greater Rochester Community know my reputation and know what I stand for."
Several other top members of the department are also retiring, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren told members of the city's council Tuesday.
Prude died a week after being held in police custody in Rochester in March. The case gained national attention last week when police body camera footage of the encounter was made public.
