Indianapolis police chief to retire at the end of the year

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Chief Bryan Roach of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will retire at the end of the year after nearly three years as the city's top officer.

Roach said Friday that his decision to retire after nearly 29 years with the department was 'œbittersweet.'ť He said he's accepted a job outside of the police department and city government.

Roach was appointed chief of the 1,700-officer police department in January 2017 by Mayor Joe Hogsett.

Hogsett says in a statement that during Roach's tenure the department returned to citywide beat policing and created a crisis team focused on treating, rather than jailing, people suffering from mental health issues.

Hogsett thanked Roach 'œfor his steadfast service to the people of Indianapolis.'ť

There was no immediate word on who Roach's successor would be.