LEOMINSTER — The police patrolman accused of assaulting his wife and pointing a gun at her head has resigned from the department, his defense attorney said Tuesday.

Jason J. Labell, 32, of 14 Argentine St., was placed on paid administrative leave after he was charged Sept. 7 with assault and battery on a family or household member and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to court documents.

Interim Police Chief Michael Goldman confirmed Tuesday Labell is no longer employed by the city.

Defense attorney Steven Panagiotes is representing Labell, whose former employment as a full-time permanent police officer was announced by Mayor Dean Mazzarella on Nov. 7, 2016.

Panagiotes said Mazzarella, the city’s top administrative official, indicated he would “have no choice” but to terminate the former patrolman.

Mazzarella confirmed Tuesday he would have terminated Labell had he not resigned.

Labell resigned “to avoid the taint of termination,” Panagiotes said, which will “allow him to keep the door open as a police officer once he’s cleared of all charges.”

“Not many people want to hire someone who’s been terminated,” Panagiotes said.

The mayor said he would not re-appoint Labell to the Leominster police force if Labell is exonerated.

Labell served on the force for less than one year, meaning he was still within the probationary period for civil employees.

The department’s patrolmans’ union is supporting Labell, according to Panagiotes.

“The union’s behind him,” the attorney said.

An email and voicemail to union president Det. Richard Woodward seeking confirmation of the union support claimed by Panagiotes was not immediately returned Tuesday.

According to a police report of the incident that led to the charges against Labell, the wife of the former patrolman said her husband assaulted her, punching her in the face.

“The victim had bruises and scratches consistent with her statement,” a Leominster police sergeant wrote in the report.

Labell’s wife “disclosed through a secondary contact” that her husband “brandished a firearm pointing it to her head as she attempted to leave the premises,” according to the report.

Labell denied assaulting is wife in a brief telephone interview Monday.

He was arraigned in District Court Sept. 7 and released on a personal promise to reappear for his Oct. 4 pretrial hearing.