Cathy Lanier spent 26 years with the Washington, D.C. police department but has resigned her position as chief to join the NFL.
The NFL announced Tuesday the hiring of Lanier as the league's new senior vice president of security.
"We are excited to welcome to our team an individual of Cathy’s talent and extensive record of accomplishments," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Cathy joins us with a well-deserved reputation of being a tremendous communicator, innovator and relationship builder."
Lanier, 49, joined the D.C. police force in 1990 as a patrol officer and worked her way up the ranks, becoming chief in 2007.