Bridgeport Police Chief AJ Perez is speaking publicly for the first time about a massive security effort in his city.

Perez says he coordinated the upped security to coincide with the release of a state attorney report on the fatal shooting of Jayson Negron.

Protestors gathered Friday after State Attorney Maureen Platt cleared police of wrongdoing in the teen's death last May.

MORE: Protesters rally over Negron decision

According to officials, police shot Negron after he drove a stolen vehicle into an officer.

Perez declined to comment on the ruling itself, but said his department did an excellent job keeping the city safe. 

"I just want to publicly thank the men and women of the Bridgeport Police Department, patrolmen, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, deputy chiefs,” says Perez. “Everybody pulled together and the only objective that we have is to safeguard and protect the good people of the city of Bridgeport."

Perez says Bridgeport police are now undergoing training to deescalate situations before any use of force.