Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh's police chief and the first woman ever to hold the position resigned from her job Friday to take a position to become the head of security for Bank of America in Charlotte.

Police Chief Jane Perlov's last day will be March 2.

"It's going to be a big change, but it's a change," Perlov said. "But I think it's a very natural progression for the way my career has moved along. It's a very exciting opportunity for me."

Perlov, who became the city's police chief in September 2001, worked to decentralize the police department into six districts, created specialized units to address public safety needs and worked to increase police technology.

As a result, violent crimes -- homicides, rapes, robberies and shootings -- are down 33 percent from 2001. Perlove attributes that to prevention instead of reaction.

"I came here, and we made some great strides, and we left the city better than when I came," Perlov said. "I left the city better than the way I found it."

She also has become a prominent advocate in the community for breast cancer awareness after she was diagnosed with the disease in 2004. Perlov underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and is now cancer-free.

In 2005, she was named the honorary chairwoman of the 2005 Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure.

In 2006, she was at the helm through an internal investigation into off-duty employment and the police department's response when an off-duty officer working at a second job shot and killed a man who allegedly tried to steal a car.

Perlov has spent 26 years in the public sector. Before coming to Raleigh, she served as secretary of Public Safety for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and had a career with the New York City Police Department.

"I believe Raleigh has had one of the best police chiefs in the country," City Manager Russell Allen said in a statement released Friday. "Chief Perlov always approached her duties with a combination of integrity, knowledge, leadership, vision, passion, creativity, urgency and plain hard work."

He told WRAL Friday afternoon that he will miss her passion for police work.

"I probably said at that time (Perlov came to Raleigh), I felt like we'd hired one of the best chief's in the country, and now I know we did," he said. She has contributed more than she's taken. She's left a legacy of great police work here."

Allen said Deputy Police Chief Kent Sholar will serve as interim police chief. Allen will be in charge of hiring a permanent chief. He said he has not yet decided how that process will be carried out.

Raleigh is not the only Triangle city searching for a new police chief. Durham is conducting a nationwide search to replace Police Chief Steve Chalmers, who plans to retire in December

The Town of Chapel Hill started a search to replace Chapel Hill Police Chief Gregg Jarvies, who is retiring April 1 after 30 years on the force, six as chief.

And Fayetteville is also looking for a new chief of police. Tom Burgamine took over as interim chief Feb. 1 after Tom McCarthy retired Jan. 31.