Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler said Friday that Police Chief Alan Crump's surprise retirement just hours before probably stemmed from the public's lack of confidence in his abilities.

Crump told Tyler during a phone conversation around 2 p.m. that he would retire. The phone conversation came soon after Crump met with his assistant chiefs.

"He was getting hammered for the spike in crime," Tyler said of Crump. "He just said (that) because the public perception in some areas is that they didn't have the confidence in him."

Tyler said the chief still had confidence in himself.

“And I have confidence in Chief Crump," she added. "But the perception is there, and with that perception, I believe, that he wanted to put the interest of citizens above himself because he didn't have to do this."

Tyler said she will select an interim chief next week to serve for 90 days until appointment of a permanent replacement. Until an interim is chosen, Deputy Chief Bill Goodin will assume leadership responsibilities.

The city has not compiled a list of potential replacements for Crump, Tyler said.

Crime has been a top issue during the second half of Tyler's term. Many of her seven opponents in the campaign to elect a new mayor criticized her administration's approach to crime before Tuesday's election. Among the critics has been Adrian Perkins, her opponent in a Dec. 8 runoff to determine if Tyler will be elected to a second term.

Tyler and Crump have had conversations about the public perception of the city's crime problem over the last several months.

However, Tyler insisted that Crump decided on his own to retire. Crump was civil service protected, meaning that she couldn't fire or demote him even if she wanted to unless he committed some "egregious act," she said.

"I didn't ask him to make that decision," she said. "At the end of the day, he made the decision to retire."

During the call, Crump thanked Tyler for the opportunity to serve as police chief, she said. She, in turn, said she was grateful that Crump took on the position in late 2016 — at a time when crime in the city was spiking, she said.

Overnight Thursday, two people were found dead in a car in the Queensborough neighborhood, burned to death. Police were investigating whether the pair were a couple who had been reported missing around the same time.

Crump was appointed by Mayor Ollie Tyler's administration in November 2016.

A resolution asking for the removal of Crump failed on the council floor in November 2017. The resolution, sponsored by District A Councilman Willie Bradford, expressed "no confidence" in Crump to lead the police department or reduce violent crime in the city.

Crump was placed on administrative leave in October 2017 after he fired a department-issued firearm during a reported armed robbery and car burglary involving two 17-year-olds in the 2500 block of Hollywood Avenue. Crump was cleared following an investigation.

Crump, who has served for more than 26 years with the Shreveport Police Department, will retire effective Nov. 15, according to a news release. Tyler has not received any other notification from Crump about his retirement.

"He was dedicated to this city," Tyler said. "I have the utmost respect for Chief Crump because he's willing to step away. He doesn't have to. That's the kind of man he is."

Perkins: Mayor Tyler, Chief Crump are failing Shreveport on crime