Charleston was still recovering from the tragic death of its police chief, John Conroy, who had seen the city through a volatile hospital strike, when Reuben Greenberg was introduced to the city more than 23 years ago. In the ensuing years, Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. was by no means the only one to consider Reuben Greenberg "the best police chief in America." The continued high regard in which he is held by so many has made the circumstances that have led to his retirement particularly regretable.

Tuesday's joint announcement by the mayor and the chief was the culmination of a series of controversial incidents in recent years involving the outspoken Greenberg. The latest involved the chief and a motorist who called 911 after she became concerned about the manner in which he was driving. Her description of his reaction to the call when he stopped her car resulted in the mayor's decision to require the chief to have a medical evaluation.

At a press conference outside police headquarters attended by the city's leaders, the mayor announced that the 62-year-old chief, suffering from hypertension, had been advised to retire and the chief had decided to take his doctor's advice. The mayor also made it clear he would continue to seek Reuben Greenberg's advice, as would others, in his new capacity as chief emeritus.

After weeks of media replays of some of the chief's worst gaffes, the mayor properly sought to bring his remarkable career back into balance by reprising the far more numerous highlights. The hiring of Reuben Greenberg, who is both African American and Jewish, was not only a first for Charleston but also a pacesetter for the South and much of the nation.

Chief Greenberg, the mayor said, was a role model who "opened doors and opened eyes."

Reuben Greenberg quickly won the admiration of the city as a tough policeman who practiced what he later preached in his book "Let's Take Back Our Streets." The mayor recalled the seriousness of the city's crime problem prior to the Greenberg hiring and how his long line of innovations, from putting more officers on beats to bicycle patrols, SWAT teams and harbor patrols helped turn the tide.

The telling statistic is a 64 percent increase in population and an 11 percent decrease in crime.

No question, Reuben Greenberg was a change agent and that change didn't always set well as requirements for the department stiffened. Professional standards were heightened and college degrees became a must for police officers. The chief noted the department now has officers from 44 states, more than 20 foreign countries and a waiting list of applicants.

But no officer in the department was more hands-on than the chief. He became legendary for seemingly being everywhere at all hours -- on foot, in his car, on a horse and even on roller blades. When help was needed, he was there for the toughest or smallest jobs, from patrolling the streets during Hurricane Hugo to deter looters, to chasing assailants, to saving animals, to helping confused tourists, to directing traffic.

He became sought after by officials of some of the country's major cities, but fortunately couldn't be lured permanently from Charleston. He did travel extensively, speaking and teaching both in this country and abroad.

On Tuesday, he made a gracious departure, noting that one man doesn't make a police department. Not only did he praise his sworn officers but the ordinary people of the city who "made it possible for us to be successful." As the mayor said, Reuben Greenberg has been an integral part of Charleston's success story and this community owes him its deepest appreciation.