DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey Mann has decided to retire after fighting for two years to retain his Peace Officer Standards and Training Council certification following a 2017 indecency arrest in Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

He lost his certification due to the arrest and has been fighting that revocation ever since. He was also suspended for 40 days.

Now the AJC says the sheriff will leave 13 months before his term is up, passing the role on to Deputy Sheriff Melody Maddox. Mann’s decision to retire means the fight over his certification has ended. To read the AJC’s full story, click here.

The incident that led to Mann’s fight to retain his certification and his early departure occurred in May 2017.

According to a police report, Mann was arrested after an officer allegedly saw him masturbating and walking in the officer’s direction. The officer was patrolling Piedmont Park on foot on a Saturday evening in an “area known for sexual acts after dark.” The report alleges Mann ran from the Atlanta Police officer before being apprehended.

To resolve the criminal charges, he pleaded guilty to obstruction and prohibited conduct. He had to pay a $2,000 fine and perform 80 hours of community service. The city of Atlanta banned him from its parks for six months.

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