Callarik Hopes Tension Is Over
By GABE WELLS Staff WriterBRIDGEPORT - Mayor John Callarik looks forward to getting back to business as usual in the village of Bridgeport.
Police Chief Chad Dojack resigned his post Tuesday following his sentencing last week on a charge of dereliction of duty. Callarik, who is the grandfather of Dojack's wife, has been criticized for not calling on Dojack to resign in light of his involvement in the Hollywood surrogate scandal that also resulted in the felony conviction of former Martins Ferry police chief Barry Carpenter.
On Tuesday, Callarik said he is not above criticism; however, he said criticism in this instance is not justified. Callarik said he is glad to see an end to the matter, and he believes Dojack is as well.
"When you are in the mayor's spot, it goes with the territory," he said. "I was blamed for things that I had nothing to do with from day one.
"I was really relived to get the thing over with, and I'm sure he is," Callarik added of Dojack. "I think he made the right decision (to resign). It's what is best for the community and the family."
Callarik said he was not aware of Dojack's resignation until late Monday night. He said he has not discussed Dojack's future plans with him or whether he again intends to be a police officer.
"The thing is, he missed a lot of sleep at nights," Callarik said. "I didn't encourage him (to resign) any from the day this started. The good people in the village of Bridgeport have families, and sometimes people in our families make mistakes. I think they will realize what he went through.
"He's a good, hard worker and good person," the mayor added regarding Dojack and his plans for the future. "I haven't talked to him about it, but I can't even say if he'd want to be" a police officer.
Callarik said he does not believe it will take long for the emotions of Bridgeport residents to calm. He said he is looking forward to a sense of normalcy in the village.
Callarik said he does resent some people who were involved in the surrogate scandal but were not charged in the case.
"What upsets me is that the people who started this, the photographers, got nothing and went back to New York," he said. "That's what upsets me."
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces
|
BptNative
|
|
|---|---|
|
01-23-10 7:12 PM
|
Let me get this straight: Callarik says, "What upsets me is that the people who started this, the photographers, got nothing and went back to New York. That's what upsets me." Wow. THAT'S what upsets him? Not the fact that his police chief (nepotism much?) broke the law!! People of Bridgeport, we've been horribly mistaken! Bruce Callarik, Barry Carpenter and Chad Dojack aren't to blame! It's the PHOTOGRAPHERS' fault all this happened! My goodness, I guess we owe the mayor an apology. Here, I'll start: Mr. Mayor...GET REAL. How wrong, reprehensible (not to mention childish) to whine, 'but THEY started it." Seriously?!! This whole thing has been a farce from the start, and now you're trying to insult the citizens' intelligence by finger-pointing? Perhaps you should listen to The people of Bridgeport for once and resign...before you get run out of town.
|
|
EllisWyatt
|
|
|
01-20-10 6:25 PM
|
Dojack should repay all of the money he was paid once he went on leave. And Callarik should be serving time in prison for this blatant ripoff of working taxpayers.
|
|
jycmchll
|
|
|
01-20-10 5:41 PM
|
Can a Mayor be forced to resign by petition or can anything be done legally about Dojack accepting money and lying by saying he was innocent and then pleading guilty? The citizens of Bridgeport need a lawyer. Surely someone out there has the "know-how" to help the citizens out!
|
|
jycmchll
|
|
|
01-20-10 5:26 PM
|
Hope the citizens of bridgeport find a way to kick Callarik to the curb! He's a disgrace!
|
|
ChipCarte
|
|
|
01-20-10 5:25 PM
|
It's not over until you SO Called Mayor Of Bridgeport resigns. The people of Bridgeport deserves better.
|
|
jycmchll
|
|
|
01-20-10 5:24 PM
|
I hope the citizens of Bridgeport don't let this go!! It was Callarik's decision to "pay" Dojack with their money while he was on leave! If Callarik wouldn't have to pay Dojack's bills, I'm sure a different decision would have been made. Does Dojack have to pay it back since he pled guilty? He claimed he was innocent, innocent, innocent, and that's why he got a paid leave. Now he admits he's guilty, AFTER HE LET THE CITIZENS PAY HIS BILLS FOR MONTHS! He knew he was guilty and sat on his butt and took the citizens money, and I'm sure Callarik knew he was guilty too! This should be illegal! Callarik made the decision to pay a guilty man and now he should "do the right thing" and pay the citizens back their money!
|
|
nicetry
|
|
|
01-20-10 2:05 PM
|
Dojack still needs to repay his salary from the time he was off. Unless he had annual leave to support that time.
|
|
SphinxRising58
|
|
|
01-20-10 8:49 AM
|
Talk about living in a fantasy land, lol. Callarik moans & groans about how " his family " has been under the gun for a long time, but chooses to overlook the fact that " his grandson-inlaw " caused that to be so. No one took a gun & forced Dojack to look the other way, as he did that entirely of his own free will, knowing it was against the law, the law he, Dojack, had been hired to uphold, which only make it worse, as if you cannot trust the the two top cops in a city, who can you trust? Now Callarik wants everyone to simply forget the whole thing ever took place so life will return to normal for him and " his family ". Well, I hate to bust his bubble, but life does not work that way, & I do bellieve that Callarik is starting to realize this fact, although, I am sure it is leaving a somewhat bitter taste in his mouth.
|
|
USMCDeathPimp
|
|
|
01-20-10 1:22 AM
|
Couldnt say it better "examiner". Good job.
|
|
examiner
|
|
|
01-20-10 1:16 AM
|
It upsets the Mayor, I am sure it does. But only because they all got caught, and then he has the nerve to say he resents some people who were involved but were not charged, how dare he or anyone else want to talk about others, bottom line according to the comments this "idiot" thought he was above all. and now he is finding out the community is not going to stand for it. And Mayor, I feel for your family having to dragged thru the mud, but it seems to me, you wanted him to get what he got. a slap on the wrist. I just hope and pray the community comes back with avengence. and this is not going to go away anytime soon. I would not want to walk down the street with him, he has disgraced the Law Enforcement, sad but true he will not be the last. But all of you people keep it out on the front burner! And Mayor don't run again your time is up too!
|