Miami Police Chief John Timoney, an Irish man hailed as “America’s Best Cop’’ by Esquire magazine, has stepped down.

Timoney resigned as Tomas Regalado was sworn into office as the city's new mayor.

Regalado, who has been one of Timoney's harshest critics, said he had requested that Timoney resign because of what he described as rising crime and low morale.

“We are very happy that we are past the chief of police issue,’’ Regalado said.

Dublin-born Timoney, who had formerly been chief of police in Philadelphia, had been credited with improving the Miami police department which had been racked by violence and scandal.

He took over in Miami just as 11 police officers went on trial on federal charges of fabricating evidence and planting guns at crime scenes.

His brief included cleaning up the department, especially officer-involved shootings, and under his watch the department dramatically cut such incidents.