John Timoney, who rose to second in command of the New York Police Department before serving stints as police chief in Philadelphia and Miami, has died of lung cancer. He was 68.

Timoney was Miami’s chief from 2003 until 2010 when he was forced from office following some political upheaval. The Miami Herald reports Timoney spent several years doing consulting work — much of it in the Middle East — before returning to Miami for treatment.