MIAMI – Delrish Moss, who had a long career with the Miami Police Department, is coming back home.
After taking over as police chief in Ferguson in 2016, he faced a divided town that was still grappling with the aftermath of Michael Brown’s death in 2014.
After a white police officer killed the black and unarmed 18-year-old, the protests in Ferguson helped to spark the national Black Lives Matter movement.
Moss spent much of his tenure helping to implement reforms, including some mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice over racial bias concerns.
Mayor James Knowles III said Wednesday that Moss resigned to care for his ailing mother, and Deputy Chief Frank McCall will lead the department until a permanent replacement is named.
In his resignation letter, Moss said he decreased violent crime, hired more women and African-American police officers and improved community relations.
"This was all due to the hard work and dedication of the women and men of this great agency and I leave with nothing but the highest regard for them," Moss wrote.
Moss also wrote McCall is "one of the best police officials in this country."