Kenneth Ellerbe, D.C.’s fire chief for the past three years, will leave his post this July after a tenure that involved faulty, at times burning equipment, staffing shortages and lawsuits.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Ellerbe said he was not forced out. “This leadership has attempted some very bold changes,” he said. “If you are willing to move an agency that has been stuck in tradition for over 200 years into a new environment, and you expect to fly under the radar, you are fooling yourself.”

Councilmembers Mary Cheh and Tommy Wells both called for his resignation, and the head of the fire union, Ed Smith, has been one of his fiercest critics.

He told NBC4 “I think we’ve left the department in a much better position than when I got here.”

“Our budget has been balanced for three years. We’ve got a handle on overtime. The things I set out to do have been accomplished. So it’s time to go look for something else.”

In a release, Mayor Vincent Gray thanked Ellerbe for his service: “His effort and dedication have been commendable, and I wish him well in all his future endeavors.”