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Top cop turns into sea sponge

Upper Darby police Superintendent Michael Chitwood isn't known for being soft, but today he was quite squishy as he donned a Sponge Bob Square Pants costume to bring Halloween treats to elementary students in the township.

Upper Darby police Superintendent Michael Chitwood isn't known for being soft, but today he was quite squishy as he donned a Sponge Bob Square Pants costume to bring Halloween treats to elementary students in the township.

Chitwood has never been shy of taking one for the team. In 2008, when the department rolled out Taser guns, he held a press conference where he had his officers demonstrate the effects of the Taser - on himself.

This morning's outing involved less cursing, but Chitwood was still filled with electricity as he brought candy, coloring books on bullying and junior police officer badges to students at Bywood Elementary School and St. Bernadette of Lourdes School.

Students at Bywood first addressed him as Sponge Bob, but when he asked if they knew who he really was, one third grade girl jumped to her feet.

"You're Chitwood - the policeman!" she yelled.

When Chitwood passed out the plastic badges to the students, they erupted in cheers and when he showed them his favorite Halloween toy, a stuffed dog dressed as a ghost that dances to the "Ghostbusters" theme song, they all giggled.

Later, Chitwood told me his most controversial Halloween costume so far was a cow costume with life-like utters that offended some folks when he was a police chief up in Maine.

I told him he should dress up as a scumbag next year. He seemed to be open to the idea.

If you'd like to see Chitwood in action in his Sponge Bob Square Pants outfit, tune into Fox 29 around 7:45 a.m. tomorrow morning, when he's slated to do the weather report in his costume.