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AURORA, Colo. — An Aurora Police Department deputy chief who was set to step down in March will be leaving the department on Friday.

APD spokesperson Officer Crystal McCoy confirmed the change Thursday afternoon.

In December, O’Keefe announced he would retire in March 2020. The announcement came after APD Agent Nate Meier was not investigated for driving under the influence or fired after he was found drunk in his patrol car while on duty. O’Keefe was the first member of APD at the scene.

O’Keefe was set to become the interim chief of APD after former Chief Nick Metz retired at the end of 2019.

In a letter addressed to the city manager in December, O’Keefe said that “under the current circumstances,” it would be in the best interest of the department for him to withdraw from the position.

On Thursday, APD Interim Chief Vanessa Wilson said she has requested an internal affairs investigation into O’Keefe’s failure to investigate Meier for DUI.