Fort Collins Police Chief Resigns

Fort Collins Police Chief John Hutto is stepping down. Hutto announced Tuesday that he is resigning effective May 12. He's been chief for the past five years.

"The department is at a critical juncture and the time to make a change is now," he said in a video posted to the department's Facebook page.

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"We’ve faced some significant challenges over the past year and a half and I believe the organization will benefit from new ideas and a fresh perspective."

City Manager Darin Atteberry praised Hutto, saying the chief "has served the community for the past five years and led the agency to several key accomplishments."

Hutto, who has spent more than 25 years as a member of the police department in Austin, TX. before taking over in For Collins, leaves as the department deals with yet another incident in a string of controversies.

Last week, Hutto defended an officer who was captured on a widely circulated video shoving a woman to the ground. Police said the woman had been interfering with an arrest and was herself arrested after the incident

Hutto released a statement saying that while he wasn't going to release the officer's body-cam video until the investigation was complete, he said when released, it would provide greater context.

That was preceded by two costly settlements the department agreed to earlier this year.

In January, the city agreed to pay $425,000 to two officers who said they were victims of ethnic and racial discrimination in the department.

In February, the city agreed to pay $150,000 to a school teacher who was pepper sprayed in the face by officers who entered his home without consent.

Watch the Chief's statement: