friend gave me his ipod. need to reset it. dont have password

If you reset the iPod, you will see an "Activation Lock" as muguy stated. This is an extra layer of security on Apple's behalf that prevents any unauthorized user from using the device. If your friend forgot his Apple account password, I would recommend he reads this article on resetting an unknown Apple account password: (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487)

When he has access to the Apple ID in question, he can refer to this article on removing the activation lock: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201441

You cannot. Only they can remove the password. Learn more about how to remove activation lock: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201441