Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, the first Black woman to lead the city’s police department, has resigned her position, the mayor's office announced Tuesday (Sep. 5).

She has accepted a new position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as deputy chief security officer. Outlaw’s last day on the job will be Sep. 22.

Mayor Jim Kenney appointed Outlaw as police commissioner in December 2019, and she stepped into her role two months later, just before the COVID-19 pandemic forced shutdowns. Outlaw was no stranger to the spotlights. She made history in her previous job as the first Black woman to lead the Portland, Ore., police department.

“Commissioner Outlaw has worked relentlessly for three and a half years during an unprecedented era in our city and a number of crisis situations, and she deserves praise for her commitment to bring long-overdue reform to the Department after years of racism and gender discrimination prior to her appointment,” Kenney stated.

CBS News Philadelphia reports that Outlaw’s tenure was marked by a few wrinkles that included legal action. In March, the city reached a $9.25 million settlement with social justice protesters who were tear gassed and pepper sprayed by Philadelphia police officers in a nationwide uprising ignited by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

In 2021, Philadelphia reportedly paid $2.5 million to the family of Walter Wallace, a 27-year-old Black man, to settle a wrongful death lawsuit. Police officers shot and killed Wallace within seconds of arriving at the scene where Wallace was armed with a knife while having a mental health crisis. The shooting sparked protests and calls for the police to de-escalate or use non-lethal methods, such as tasers, in these cases.

Outlaw’s resignation comes as Philadelphia prepares for a mayoral election in November, with Kenney, a Democrat, term-limited after serving two terms in office. Meanwhile, Democratic mayoral nominee Cherelle Parker, who is expected to become the city’s first woman mayor in the overwhelmingly Democratic city,, has avoided answering questions about her possible choice for police commissioner.

Public safety has emerged as a central issue for voters, as Philadelphia police battle a sharp increase in homicides under Outlaw’s watch. In fairness to Outlaw, many large cities experienced an increase in crime during the COVID-19 crisis.