McNeil said he believes he will be remembered as a good chief.
The announcement comes a week before a critical study of the policeforce is expected to be released, but McNeil says he has other reasons forleaving.
McNeil faces alawsuitfiled by a groupof police officers, including former police Capt. Paul Martin. In it,McNeil is charged with allowing misconduct to occur and retaliatingagainst those who reported it.
Attorney Sherrod Banks told the gathering of reporters that none of thecharges put forth in the lawsuit are true. He specifically addressed anitem accusing McNeil of being too lenient on a sergeant in trouble.
Banks ran down the complete list of charges from the lawsuit and saideach was either untrue or rumor.
McNeil recently delegated his administrative duties to another officerso he could head up a task force geared toward reducing crime in Durham.That task force still meets.
McNeil says he has no regrets about his tenure as chief.
The cityrecorded a record-breaking 43 slayings in 1996.
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