WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A former chief of crime control strategies for Chicago's police department has been tapped as the new police chief in Delaware's largest city.

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki said Wednesday that Robert Tracy will succeed Bobby Cummings, who is retiring. Tracy starts his job Friday.

Tracy worked for the New York City Police Department from 1984 to 2007 before working in Chicago from 2011 to 2016.

Like Chicago, Wilmington has been plagued by drug-related gun violence. Wilmington has seen 14 slayings and more than 55 shootings this year.

Wilmington officials say that during Tracy's tenure in Chicago, the murder rate dropped at one point to the lowest in 50 years.

They also say Tracy's actions resulted in a 30 percent reduction in overall crime over a four-year period.