SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — The city at the center of the Trayvon Martin case has a new interim police chief.

Richard Myers was named the new, temporary police chief of Sanford, Fla. on Tuesday. He is a former police chief of Colorado Springs, Colo.

The previous Sanford police chief, Bill Lee, stepped down from his job for an undetermined amount of time to let emotions cool after Martin’s death.

The 17-year-old teen was fatally shot last February by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Sanford police officers didn’t immediately arrest Zimmerman because he claimed self-defense under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.

The lack of an arrest for 44 days led to protests nationwide. Zimmerman was charged earlier this month with second-degree murder.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.