An Oregon police chief has resigned from the force, after being accused of comparing black people to monkeys while taking an African-American female suspect into custody.

Yahoo News reports veteran Police Chief Marvin Hoover mockingly "imitated a monkey" when other officers on duty informed him that the unidentified woman was threatening to sue the entire department for discrimination.

According to the police report, Hoover then "beat his chest like Tarzan" and described the woman as an "animal."

The official police report was filed by other Clatskanie officers, with Officer Dustin Stone alleging, "I relayed several of the arrestee's remarks such as, 'When you look at me, my black and my nappy hair, all you see is animal.' Chief Hoover interrupted me and said, 'That's what she is.'"

It's at that point that the 56-year-old Hoover is alleged to have placed his hands under his armpits and commenced scratching them and making monkey noises.

"As Chief Hoover was comparing African-Americans to monkeys, I began to become extremely uncomfortable," added Stone. "I have never been in a work environment where a manager, especially an executive officer, is openly racist."

Initially, Hoover was placed on paid leave but has since announced his plans to resign, all with the apparent blessings of Clatskanie Mayor Diane Pohl, who paid tribute to him in a public letter.

"Thanks Chief Hoover for a job well done," she wrote. "You have this community's gratitude, gratefulness and appreciation. Enjoy your retirement knowing we will miss you and wish you all the best."

Meanwhile, officer Stone reports he and his wife have been endlessly harassed by other residents since he filed his report.

"I've already faced a lot of retaliation, my wife's been forced off the road twice," he told KOIN TV. "I've had people in the community yelling the N-word at me."