Slay, who announced this year he would not run again, called on Dotson to resign his law enforcement post. Some political observers said Slay might fire him as chief. But a state law passed in 2013 prohibits firing a police chief without cause. Supporters of the law said it was intended to protect chiefs from politics.

Slay had long been considered one of Dotson’s staunchest supporters, and Dotson was viewed as a protégé of sorts. Before becoming chief, Dotson served as Slay’s director of operations for about 20 months while on loan from the police department.

In the statement, Dotson said he had met with Slay recently and that the mayor “urged me to focus on working with him to unite our city around a comprehensive plan to reduce the violence that is so corrosive to our city.”

“This morning I told him I would,” Dotson said in the statement.

Slay released a statement praising Dotson’s decision.