LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the following statement on LAFD Chief Douglas Barry's retirement announcement:

"For the past 34 years, Chief Douglas Barry has dedicated his life to protecting the people of this City. At every rung of the ladder, he gained the respect of his colleagues and earned the reputation as a man committed to the best values and virtues of our fire department.

"Chief Barry led the department with intelligence and integrity. At a moment of great challenge for our firefighters, he proved to be the right man at the right time to reform the department and cultivate a culture of respect, tolerance, and mutual understanding in our fire houses. His courage inspired our firefighters through the battle of protecting lives and homes during the Griffith Park, Sayre and Porter Ranch wildfires, and rescuing the survivors of the devastating Metrolink collision."

"On behalf of the City and the people of Los Angeles, I want to thank Chief Barry for showing all of us what it means to dedicate your life to public service and for staying true to the unwavering belief in our fire department's core mission: saving lives. We honor his commitment to every Angeleno, and we wish him well in his future endeavors."