DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander has been named deputy mayor of the city of Rochester, N.Y.

Alexander, 62, announced earlier this month he's resigning after four years in DeKalb.

"I am excited to return to Rochester, a city I have long considered home," Alexander said in a statement.

Alexander was Rochester's police chief and deputy chief from 2002 to 2005. He considered returning to that job in 2013 before deciding to remain in DeKalb.

DeKalb County Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander is resigning after a term in which he rose to national prominence as an advocate for improved relationships between police and their communities. (Video: HYOSUB SHIN/AJC; edit: ARMANI MARTIN/AJC)

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said Alexander is already well-known among residents and police officers.

“I am looking forward to working with Dr. Alexander as we continue to create more jobs, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods, and better educational opportunities,” she said in a statement.

Alexander will continue working in DeKalb through the end of March. His deputy mayor job begins April 24.

Dr. Cedric Alexander says police in metro Atlanta constantly train to handle these types of terror attacks.