The embattled Ferguson, Missouri police chief has resigned amid widespread criticism against the city's police force following the shooting of a black teen last year.

Tom Jackson's resignation, which will take effect next Thursday, is the sixth in the series of shakeup among police and court employees over reports of racial bias.

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This week two police officers resigned and one court employee was fired after the Justice Department discovered racist email exhanges between police and court employees. The judge who oversaw the court system had also resigned. 

Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff will sit as the acting chief while the city begins its search for Jackson's replacement.

Jackson had previously rejected calls for him to step down amid questions over his handling of the shooting of Michael Brown and succeeding violent protests.  The calls further intensified after the Justice Department came out with its report exposing racial biases within the police force and court employees. 

However, Jackson told a St. Louis local media that it was time for Ferguson to move on.

"I believe this is the appropriate thing to do at this time," Jackson said. "This city needs to move forward without any distractions."

In a press conference, Ferguson Mayor James Knowles said Jackson did a lot of "soul-searching" before he came up with his decision to quit. Knowles added that Jackson felt his resignation can help heal the community from the wounds brought by Brown's death. 

"The chief is the kind of honorable man you don't have to go to," Knowles said. "He comes to you when he knows that this is something we have to seriously discuss."

Following the announcement of Jackson's resignation, protesters gathered outside the Ferguson Police Headquarters early Thursday. Two officers were shot as police faced the protesters.

St. Louis County police chief John Belmar said one officer was shot in the face and the other suffered a gun shot in the shoulder. Both are in serious condition but are expected to survive. 

Police said about 60 to 70 protesters trooped to the headquarters, blocking roads and sidewalks. People began to get rowdy, which triggered the officers to arrest three people.

The police were standing in line when shots were fired from a parking lot over a hundred yards away.

The protesters were chanting their dissatisfaction over the resignations of the city manager and police chief Jackson. 

Police are now on the hunt for the people behind the shooting of the two officers.

TagsFerguson Police, Ferguson riot, Ferguson protest, Tom Jackson, michael brown, racial bias