NEW ROADS - A New Roads police officer who became the de facto head of the department following the chief's resignation has submitted his own resignation and is leaving the department, the New Roads mayor confirmed to WBRZ on Wednesday.

Assistant Chief John Chambliss became the top officer after New Roads Police Chief Louis Hamilton was asked to step down last week. Chambliss himself had resigned on Feb. 4, but rejoined the department.

Chambliss has been the subject of WBRZ Investigative Unit reports since October, when he shot John Sexton, the Iberville Parish assessor's son, while checking on a reported disturbance behind a business. Both the officer and the man who was shot were cleared of charges by a grand jury, but a civil lawsuit against the department is ongoing.

A federal magistrate last week held a telephone conference with lawyers for Sexton and New Roads. Sexton said he would drop claims rooted in federal law and New Roads' lawyers dropped their objection to moving the case from the federal court system to the 18th Judicial District.

Mayor Theron Smith confirmed that Chambliss resigned Wednesday, but did not initially provide a reason. Former Chief Hamilton told WBRZ that Chambliss' resignation folllowed sexual harassment allegations against the officer, saying he received several written complaints against Chambliss.