Former Montgomery police Chief Darryl Albert was placed on suspension, in part, because of an investigation into sexual harassment claims, the mayor confirmed Friday.

Albert resigned Thursday, a little over a week after being placed on paid administrative leave.

Mayor Steven Reed on Friday, in a press conference, addressed for the first time publicly the allegations against Albert that surfaced earlier this year. Former Montgomery police Officer Rene Helton went public with claims she was discriminated against for not having an affair with Albert.

Those claims were detailed in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filing. The complaint included multiple screenshots of reported text messages between Albert and Helton that were flirtatious and sexual in nature.

“He was put on administrative leave because there was an active investigation around a number of issues that came up, one of those issues was sexual harassment,’’ Reed said.

Other issues included morale and department operations.

Reed said there was only one report of sexual harassment against Albert.

The investigation was conducted by the City Inspector General, which was formally called the Office of City Investigations.

Reed said he received the report in the past month.

“From there, I analyzed the report, and we placed Chief Albert on leave and while he was on leave, he offered his resignation,’’ the mayor said.

Reed said the city does not release personnel reports.

Reed said Helton’s firing had nothing to do with Albert.

“Officer Helton was terminated because she did not do things in her job as a police officer,’’ the mayor said. “It had nothing to do with this investigation. It happened prior to that.”

“Now the process can play out,’’ Reed said, “and I believe that is what she has tried to do with other complaints.”

Helton, represented by attorney Mickey McDermott, filed an EEOC complaint against Albert in 2023 claiming discrimination based on gender.

According to the EEOC complaint, Helton beginning in September 2022 through March 2023 confided in Albert about problems she was having.

Those problems included challenges she faced from conflicting guidance in using her patrol car to pick up her children from school and hostility she was experiencing from certain departmental supervisors.

“Upon concluding that Helton would not engage him in a physical/romantic relationship, Albert unilaterally and for apparent punitive reasons, placed Helton under a supervisor that was hostile to her and from whom Albert promised to protect Helton,’’ the complaint states.

The complaint states that department began termination proceedings against Helton in June 2023 after she was the subject of a disciplinary investigation triggered by an anonymous complaint.

The compliant alleged Helton used her patrol car to pick up her children from school. The termination proceedings also claimed insubordination.

“Chief Albert had previously expressed support for Helton in her dealings, but once he understood that Helton would not consent to a sexual relationship with the married Albert, Chief Albert informed Helton as much and foreshadowed the retaliatory acts that are the subject of this charge of discrimination,’’ the complaint states.

Albert also had faced an internal review of allegations that he violated NOPD policy on sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation while overseeing the crime lab. Results of that investigation were never disclosed by the department, according Fox 8 in New Orleans.

When asked Friday if he considered those allegations before hiring Albert in Montgomery, Reed said, “We had no finality in any report of anything being corroborated from his previous time,’’ he said.

Reed was asked if he had lost trust in Albert.

“The conversation that Chief Albert and I had upon him submitting his letter of resignation was whether or not the police department could go forward in a positive manner under his leadership,’’ Reed said. “And we mutually agreed to his resignation that (the department) might need a new voice, a new direction.”

Reed thanked Albert and his family for their service to Montgomery.

“We thank him for his leadership the past couple of years and for the positive things he did during administration,’’ Reed said, noting increased community outreach and strengthened federal partnerships under Albert’s tenure.

Deputy Chief John Hall will continue to serve as acting chief until an interim chief, and then a permanent chief is selected.

“We believe,’’ he said, “looking forward is in the best interest of our city.”