Always a problem solver, Tom Rudzinski started out just trying to make an impact, simply seeking to make a difference. Thirty-six years of service later and somehow his job with Manheim Township Police Department turned into a career. Where does the time go?

Rudzinski has decided to step aside as the chief of the Manheim Township Police Department. Township's veteran top cop made the announcement at the beginning of the year and his retirement won't officially take effect until the beginning of the summer, but it's a decision he's been mulling for nearly two years.

"My goal was to make a difference for as long as possible," said Rudzinski. "I hope I've been able to improve the quality of life in Manheim Township. I hope that I did a good job of making the community a safe place to live."

A native of Baltimore, Rudzinski came to Manheim Township as a wide-eyed patrolman in 1987. Much has changed since that time, but Rudzinski's enthusiasm for local law enforcement has not. He noted that he never left the township for another position simply because "That's how I was brought up."

His successor has yet to be named, and Rudzinski has expressed an interest in providing input on exactly who that should be.

Rudzinski has always led through both words and examples.

"I know the officers here will continue that legacy. It's just time for me to take a break," he stated.

A cancer diagnosis has figured into Rudzinski's decision to retire, but he stressed that the illness did not make it necessary that he retire.

Rudzinski was diagnosed with an uncurable and inoperable, but treatable, form of cancer in April of 2021. Chemotherapy treatments have kept the cancer at bay, but Rudzinski's prognosis is unclear.

"For the first three months after my diagnosis, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do," said Rudzinski. "I wanted to keep working. I could still do all the things that needed to be done, just slower because of the chemo. When people look at me, they wouldn't know about my diagnosis."

After graduating from Franklin & Marshall College, Rudzinski worked his way up the ranks of the Manheim Township Police Department, from sergeant to lieutenant to chief. Rudzinski characterized his job as police chief as more of a manager or an administrator, adding, "I don't get out on the streets much."

"Making split-second decisions is hard," said Rudzinski, a resident of Manheim Township. "But we have so many great people here. We have our struggles, we have our issues, but we're working through them. We try to do our best every day."

With its force of 65 officers, Rudzinski's department polices the Manheim Township area on a 24/7 basis. Under Rudzinski's guidance, the Manheim Township police force continues to operate under the belief that safety is everyone's business and really is a matter of cooperation.

"I truly believe our residents love us," said Rudzinski. "I think they think we're the best of the best. There's always going to be that 10 to 20% who don't believe that. Some days it's a struggle to make people believe we're there for them and not against them."