Los Angeles police chief Bratton stepping down

"For me personally and professionally it is the right time," Bratton, 61, told a City Hall news conference where he revealed he will begin working with a global security firm.

Bratton said when he came to the Police Department, "it was a troubled organization in what was arguably a very troubled city."

He cited achievements since then in dramatically reversing what had been increasing crime rates and in keeping Los Angeles safe from potential terrorist attacks in the post-9/11 era.

But he hoped his legacy would be improvements in race relations.

"I believe we have turned a corner in that issue, in that this is a city that is proud of its racial diversity, it is a city where people work together. It is my belief that the Los Angeles Police Department has played a significant role in bringing that about," he said.

Bratton's resignation will be effective Oct. 31. He will then join Altegrity Inc. of Falls Church, Va., focusing on bringing professional policing to emerging nations.

His departure, less than halfway through his second term, caught city leaders unaware.