Sanford's police chief announced he is temporarily stepping down Thursday.

He made the announcement after city commissioners gave him a vote of no confidence for his handling of the Trayvon Martin controversy.

Sanford Chief Bill Lee faced the cameras and the furor of people calling for his resignation including his own city council.

“I do this in hopes of restoring some calm to the city of Sanford that's been in turmoil for weeks,” Lee said.

Outrage has been building since George Zimmerman admitted to killing Martin.

The community watch volunteer said the shooting was self-defense after he approached the unarmed 17-year-old African-American because he looked suspicious.

An hour before Lee’s announcement, City Manager Norton Bonaparte, Jr. said he had no immediate plans of firing him.

“I don't want to rush to judgment,” Bonaparte said. “What I am saying is I want to have an independent review of a law enforcement entity that will help him to know did he and the Sanford Police Department do things that shouldn't have done, or did they not do things they should have done.”

The NAACP praised the move, saying Chief Lee may have helped save the city from emotions boiling over and the city manager’s job too.

“The pressure was building,” said NAACP President Ben Jealous. “I think that pressure would have been unbearable in just a few hours.”

Jealous thinks once the facts of the case come out, it will prevent Chief Lee from ever getting his job back.

Bonaparte appointed joint commanders Capt. Darren Scott and Capt. Robert O'Conner to lead the police department.

They will also conduct a search for a more permanent interim chief.

Still, that is not enough, said Rev. Al Sharpton at a rally Thursday.