Santa Monica Police Department Chief Ramon Batista announced his intentions to resign.

In a letter submitted to the city manager’s office, Batista shared he plans to step down from his role at the department. He served as Santa Monica’s police chief for nearly four years and alluded in his resignation letter that possible conflict may have led to his decision.

“As I step aside, I do so recognizing that my nearly 40 years of experience in public safety and policing, my deeply held sense of justice, and following not only the spirit, but the letter of the law, appear to be at odds from demands from the new administration,” one version of Batista’s resignation letter read.

Following news of the resignation, Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete applauded Batista’s leadership during his time with the department.

“He built out things like the cameras around the city and the drone system,” the mayor said. “A crime impact team that’s focusing on specific crimes around the city.

Former Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock echoed that sentiment.

“After May 31st, 2020, the police department’s morale was at all-time low,” he said. “The previous chief had underperformed, to say the least, and I believe very strongly that Chief Batista came in, restored trust with the community, and restored trust with his police officers.”

Despite Batista’s initial resignation letter mentioning the “new administration,” Mayor Negrete said she was unsure what the chief meant.

“Don’t know what the chief’s meaning was behind it because I haven’t spoken to him about that,” she said. “But what I do know, in my conversations with the City Manager, is Oliver Chi knows and understands that safety comes first.”

The resignation is the latest shakeup in Santa Monica’s leadership.

In May, Chi was appointed as the City Manager, and the City Council then fired the Downtown Santa Monica Board in late July.

Batista declined NBC4’s request for an interview.

Santa Monica Deputy Chief Darrick Jacob will serve as acting chief while the department searches for a permanent hire. Batista is slated to step down on Oct. 4 after 40 years of experience in public safety.