After 25 years, he's left the department that he almost couldn't join.

When George Polnar applied to the Monroeville Police Department back in 1979, he got a letter back stating that he was 32 pounds overweight for the job.

So he quickly shed 30 pounds in three weeks and joined the force.

Polnar rose through the ranks, from patrolman to detective to sergeant to lieutenant. In 1997, he was appointed chief, a position he held until his retirement last week.

Last Friday, his colleagues accompanied him on his "last call," a tradition among police officers.

It was actually the second "last call" of the day. Earlier, police did the same for Det. Bill McClelland, who also retired Friday.

Polnar, 52, took an early retirement incentive offered by the municipality. He is one of three longtime, high-profile employees who took the incentive.

Friday also was public works Superintendent Steve Duncan's last day. Duncan, too, had been with the municipality for more than 30 years.

Marshall Bond, who has been the municipal manager off and on since the 1970s, also has chosen to take the retirement incentive, which offers three years worth of compensation equal to .05 of an eligible employee's final salary multiplied by their years of service.

In all, 27 Monroeville employees were eligible for the incentive, including D.A.R.E. officer Sam Garofolo, who retired from the department last month.

Those who chose to take it can receive their money in one lump sum or over the course of three years.

"I didn't want to go just yet," Polnar said. "But it's a one-time deal. So if my departure can help save some jobs, then that's what I decided. Everything just lined up."

The Monroeville council had talked about layoffs heading into the new year. Ultimately, the council was able to institute wage freezes for unionized employees and avoid layoffs that would have hit the police department and public works department.

Former Assistant Chief Doug Cole has replaced Polnar at the top of the police department.

"He's the right man to keep us in the right direction," said Polnar, who has worked side-by-side with Cole for 13 years.

Cole has been with the department for 24 years. The same year that Polnar became chief, Cole became assistant chief.

Both men have seen the changes in Monroeville's residents, police work and the department. Residents got older, patrol cars got computers and the department grew and then shrunk.

And that's where it is now.

When Polnar first joined the department, it had 38 officers. In 2008, there were 51 officers. Now, there are 46.

That will be his successor's biggest challenge, Polnar said, "trying to do more with less."

Cole agreed. He envisions the department getting even smaller than it is now. Still, he's optimistic.

The department will switch over to a new electronic records management system this year. Little by little, the police are phasing out paper, he said.

It's one of many initiatives Cole will oversee in what he called his dream job.

"It's a dream come true to be the chief at the end of my career," he said. "I would certainly like to have more officers, but we understand the economic situation and will do the best we can with what we got."

As for Polnar, he's looking forward to spending time with his family, which includes four daughters. He'll probably log more hours teaching criminal justice courses at Point Park University and dedicate more time to activities with the Freemasons and Shriners.

But, he might also get another job. He's had offers already to get back into law enforcement, he said.

"I'll miss being out on the street," Polnar said.

At least he got one last rush before retiring.

After a recent armed robbery at Monroeville Mall, the chief got to join a high-speed pursuit. He also helped find the gun that the suspect had thrown out the window of a car.

While he may entertain other offers to get back into police work, he'll leave the job in Monroeville completely to Cole. Polnar doesn't anticipate being one of those former bosses who can't stay away.

"My replacement's in the office next to me," Polnar said last week. "I've been grooming him for 13 years. When I'm gone, I'm gone."