Police Major Retires Like He Started: In 'Bluebird'

Forty one years ago, Baltimore County police officer Ron Schwartz drove to his first day of duty at the Garrison precinct in a blue, 1969 Dodge Dart.

And on Friday—about 250,000 miles later—Schwartz woke up in the same Parkville home and left for work in the same car.

"When I originally started with the police department in 1970, I used that car to come to work," Schwartz said. "The thought never occurred to me then that I would have the car [this] long."

About six years ago Schwartz had the car restored—every part of it is original, just like the day it left the factory. That's when it occurred to him that he might retire alongside the car he calls "Bluebird." 

"I thought, 'I can leave in the same car that I came with,'" Schwartz said. "We came together, we’re leaving together."

Over his long career, the 64-year-old Schwartz served as commander of Essex, Cockeysville, and Parkville precincts, among other duties.

The one constant through it all—aside from Barbara, his wife of 45 years—has been Bluebird.

Throughout the time he's owned the car, he's never been one to keep it in the garage. Schwartz said that at least once a year, he drives the car all the way to Ocean City, MD. The odometer, he said, reads: 250,721 miles.

His ride hasn't always been just for personal use either. At one time, he drove the car for the police academy's pursuit-driving course.

"They would try to catch this car on the various tracks we had with me driving," Schwartz said. "It created a different feel than chasing down a cop car."

At least once during an undercover operation, Schwartz's Bluebird served as the perfect camoflauge.

"It was different than anything we had available in the department at the time," he said. "Of course, that would never happen today."

Just after lunchtime on Friday, Schwartz put the keys in the ignition and headed home for the last time—off to spend retirement with his wife, two daughters and grandchildren; to take flying lessons toward a pilot's license; to play some golf; and, of course, to do "some car stuff."

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Parkville-Overlea Patch sat down to interview Maj. Ron Schwartz about his time with the department, the changing face of Parkville, where he's lived his whole life, and more. To read that interview, stay with Patch next week.