He is the man who made 'Scumbags' run for cover.
His message for them was simple: 'Not In My Town.'
Now he has another message: He's hanging up his badge.
After an illustrious 55-year career, legendary Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood is hanging up his badge.
Chitwood, 76, made his decision public last night in an interview with Dann Cuellar from 6ABC Action News.
The decision comes just two days after an election that saw longtime Republican Mayor Tom Micozzie toppled by Democrat Barbarann Keffer.
Chitwood indicated he will step down Dec. 1. Keffer will take office in January.
The guy who wrote a book called 'Tough Cop' made it clear he was not being forced out, that this was his decision.
Chitwood started his career in law enforcement as a Philly cop, and was part of the team that doggedly investigated the murder of Holly Maddux, leading to charges finally being filed against Ira Einhorn. He started on the Philly force in April 1964.
He would eventually serve as top cop in Middletown, Bucks County, and Portland, Maine, before being lured back to the Philly region to take over the Upper Darby department.
The outspoken chief was something of an anomaly, embracing the media and becoming famous for his press conferences and off the cuff remarks about criminals.
His quip, 'Not In My Town, Scumbag,' got him national attention and adorned T-shirts that could be spotted all over town.
Just this past spring he was taken aback by a brazen crime involving an attack on a 94-year-old woman.
"Certainly is a scumbag," Chitwood said. "This is Scumbag 101."
Mike Chitwood was a living, walking, talking quote machine.
And he was a newspaper man's best friend. One thing you could count on was that you would never get the journalist's lament: No comment.
Mike Chitwood always had something to say.
He was one of a kind.
And I'm guessing there won't be another one anytime soon.
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