Mayor: East Haven, Connecticut, police chief to retire Chief Leonard Gallo's last day will be February 3 Gallo's attorney says his retirement is not an admission of wrongdoing Four East Haven officers were arrested last week as part of a federal investigation A Latino community member says Gallo cultivated a "racist and dishonest police force" (CNN) -- East Haven, Connecticut, Police Chief Leonard Gallo will retire following the arrests of four police officers for their alleged role in the mistreatment of Latinos, Mayor Joseph Maturo said Monday. The arrests stemmed from a federal investigation into racial profiling in the town. Gallo's retirement is effective February 3, Maturo said, adding that a search committee will be formulated and a search for Gallo's successor will begin immediately. "While Chief Gallo's departure comes at a difficult time, it provides a unique opportunity for the department to move forward with new leadership, an opportunity for the town to move forward with the healing that is necessary given recent events, and most importantly, an opportunity for the entire East Haven community to move forward as a unified group to embrace the changes that will follow," Maturo said. "Chief Gallo has always been an unwavering supporter of the town of East Haven," Maturo said. He has been a devoted public servant and performed admirably in both his personal and professional life. His decision to retire at this time is a selfless act, designed to assist in the healing process. The decision to retire was Gallo's, said the chief's attorney, Jonathan Einhorn, and was voluntary. Gallo is nearly 65, he said, and had been considering retirement for a while. He decided to do so now, Einhorn told reporters at a Monday news conference, in order "not to be a distracting element in East Haven's effort to rehabilitate its image, both upon its citizens and the general public." It was not an admission of wrongdoing, he said, and should not be viewed as such. Gallo did not attend the news conference. East Haven police Sgt. John Miller and officers David Cari, Dennis Spaulding and Jason Zullo were arrested last week. According to a federal indictment, the four allegedly conspired to "injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate various members of the East Haven community," -- profiling Latino residents during traffic stops, performing illegal searches and harassing Latino business owners and their advocates. The men allegedly threatened and assaulted detainees, made false arrests -- including a local clergy member -- and later conspired to cover up evidence of their conduct by falsifying reports and blocking an investigation, prosecutors said. Gallo is named as a co-conspirator, Einhorn, his attorney, told reporters Monday, and the chief is facing a federal civil lawsuit as well. He said he did not know whether federal authorities will arrest Gallo, but acknowledged he could face criminal charges. "He is not guilty of any wrongdoing in either the civil action or potentially in any criminal action," Einhorn said. He should not be arrested, and if arrested he will be acquitted of any charges. "Chief Gallo has never engaged in, participated in or condoned racial profiling of any nature whatsoever," Einhorn said. Community leaders applauded the move Monday. "Gallo cultivated a racist and dishonest police force," said Father James Manship of St. Rose of Lima Church, a plaintiff in the civil suit. The state's attorney should review the convictions of those arrested by the four officers "and seek to vacate those tainted by racial bias or other unconstitutional conduct." Gallo had been placed on administrative leave by former Mayor April Capone Almon in March 2010 in response to the Justice Department investigation, according to the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School, which represents the plaintiffs in the civil suit against the department. Mauro reinstated Gallo as chief in November, the clinic said. "The power structure that perpetuated a toxic culture within the East Haven Police Department is finally crumbling," said Christopher Lapinig, a student in the Yale clinic. "Gallo's position at the top of the East Haven Police Department signaled to the brave victims who risked everything to testify and to the Latino community that their dignity was not respected," said Angel Fernanez-Chavero, a leader of St. Rose's pastoral council. In a letter to Maturo, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez said the alleged discrimination was "deeply rooted in the (police) department's culture," citing statistical analysis that Latinos had been "intentionally targeted" for traffic stops. On one occasion in January 2009, Spaulding and Zullo allegedly assaulted two people they had arrested under false pretenses, slamming their heads against the walls of the police station's cell block, authorities said. In another incident, Miller allegedly struck a detainee who was handcuffed after being propped up by two other patrol officers. The men also thwarted a police commission inquiry into their alleged misconduct, authorities said, calling on the support of local union leaders to block and intimidate municipal investigators. Asked last week what he planned to do for the Latino community in light of the arrests, Maturo said last week, "I might have tacos when I go home, I'm not quite sure yet." Two days later, some 500 tacos were delivered to Maturo's office after a Latino activist group launched a text-for-tacos campaign to draw attention to the comment. Maturo has twice apologized for the comments, saying his words were largely a product of stress.