Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey said the best person to tell his story, is himself.

After speculation and rumor surrounding his decision to retire, Humphrey agreed to sit down with KATV's Jeané Franseen to set the record straight.

"I've been in this profession 34 years and I knew from day one I wanted to be a chief," said Humphrey.

Humphrey paid his dues as police chief with other departments before making his way to the Little Rock Police Department in 2019.

"Chief's know when you come in it's not going to be easy and so you accept that responsibility of whatever is going on," said Humphrey. "It was what I thought, but it was some things I was very shocked were occurring within this department."

From his first day, Humphrey said he was met with opposition as he worked to change the climate and trajectory of the LRPD.

"With everything that was thrown at me - with the frivolous lawsuits, with the attacks on my family, and those are a lot of things the community is not aware of. My wife was personally harassed. My kids were harassed. I was followed by members of this department," Humphrey explained. "I think when I stood up and said basically I'm going to stand up for myself, fight for my family, fight for the people in this department and this city and let this department know, especially the union know, that I'm not intimidated and that I'm the chief of this department. We're going to run this department the right way and not the union way."

Speaking of the union, the Fraternal Order of Police, or FOP, the chief said the rumors circulating that they pushed him out are not true.

"I'm a 59-year-old man and there's never anyone that has forced me to do anything but my mother and father," said Humphrey. "I want the community to understand, we are not talking about collectively, because I don't think the citizens understand, The FOP is the bargaining unit for the officers and sergeants. They don't bargain for anyone above. They also for the most part provide legal assistance for employees involved in some type of incident. I know for a fact there's about 75-percent of the members of the FOP that are in the FOP strictly for the legal coverage. They don't believe in what the FOP does, in how they've treated me, in how they've treated other officers."

Humphrey recalled several defining moments as chief.

"I think the no-knock warrant policy. I think the nepotism policy we put in place. The transfer policy we put in place. Body worn cameras. I think the technology in this department has become amazing. I think creating a 21st century community policing division that focuses specifically on community relations," Humphrey reflected. "I think the other thing is actually seeing the diversity in this department grow. You started seeing more females being hired and more females becoming supervisors on all levels. Being able to promote the first African American female in the history of this department to assistance chief and seeing more female minorities in general promoted; but I think getting us through those protests without any casualties. Being able to say the city of Little Rock was able to withstand the protests following the tragic death of George Floyd."

With the highs comes lows, or as the chief said, "learning moments, but no regrets."

"You always go back and there might be something where you say 'what if,' but the major decisions I've made regarding those incidents that have garnered a lot of media attention: The termination of Charles Starks, no regrets. I made the right decision on that," said Humphrey. "The termination of David Mattox...the right decision on that. The citizens of this city deserve better. They don't deserve the actions of what those officers did."

Humphrey's last day is Friday, May 20.

He shares a quick piece of advice for those considering his job.

"They are going to have to be someone who is willing to stand and fight. They are going to not have to worry about the personal attacks and they are going to have to see this city for what it is," advised Humphrey. "At this point right now, unfortunately, it's a racially divided city."

As for what's next for the chief...

"It's my time. I go out on my own terms and I'm looking forward to the new chapter in my life. I'm getting completely out of law enforcement and I'm going into the private sector, where I can do some consulting and teaching and things like that. I'm excited," said Humphrey.

Assistant Chief Crystal Young-Haskins will serve as interim chief effective Saturday, May 21.