Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia was fired Thursday, hours after he held an unauthorized news conference to request a two-year contract from the city saying it was "time to silence the critics."
Unions representing city police officers sought a vote of no confidence in Garcia last month, alleging he had lost credibility with the officers in his charge. But City Manager Ed Zuercher said the firing was for insubordination.
Zuercher said executive assistant chief Joe Yahner would be acting chief.
Garcia served nearly 34 years in the Dallas Police Department before being hired by Phoenix, where he led one of the largest departments in the country, with nearly 4,500 employees, but struggled for popularity. - AP