FOREST HILLS — A suburban Pittsburgh police chief will retire March 14 and receive nearly $99,000 to settle his free-speech lawsuit against his township.

A federal judge in September found that Wilkins Township officials muzzled Chief Keith Guthrie with a restrictive chain-of-command policy. Guthrie says he was muzzled for reporting official misconduct and refusing to fix parking tickets.

The ruling required the sides to negotiate the damage settlement, which includes Guthrie's agreeing to retire.

The township's insurer will pay Guthrie $50,000 and he'll get nearly $49,000 more in accrued vacation, sick and personal time.

The 56-year-old chief says the township is "paying me a lot of money to go away."