SCRANTON -- Scranton Police Chief Daniel Duffy will be leaving his position to head the Lackawanna College Police Academy. The announcement came Friday.
Duffy was sworn in September 8, 2010. Before that, he spent time as a patrolman, patrol sergeant, head of a crime unit and detective.
In all, Duffy has been with the Scranton Police Department for almost 15 years.
He said the decision to leave was difficult.
"I literally drove around the city for a while and I was contemplating like is it the right decision? And I looked at, what I looked at was opportunity. And opportunity usually comes when you don't need it," said Duffy in an interview Friday.
In his time as chief, Duffy brought back the Scranton Citizens Police Academy.
He made arrests, in one case launching a controversy after the police union filed a grievance because Duffy was off duty when he made an arrest on the city's West Side last year.
Duffy also helped to launch the "Be Part Of The Solution" campaign to get people more involved with reporting crime.
"I am most proud I think of building bridges with the community, building bridges with the community and that was probably the most inspirational thing that I experienced," said Duffy.
Some showed their love for Duffy with bumper stickers, which showed up on vehicles throughout the city.
Duffy is leaving his position at a time when the city is in financial turmoil, but he said that had nothing to do with his decision to leave.
"In no way shape or form is this a reflection on what the city is going through right now and I don't want anyone to think for a second that I'm abandoning them or abandoning the city. I look at this as an opportunity that has to be taken right now," said Duffy.
Chief Duffy's last day as chief will be July 20.
He starts his new job on July 23 and said people should not be surprised if he takes a part time job at another department, just to stay in touch with police work.
Police Captain Carl Graziano will be the acting chief when Duffy leaves.