SCHERERVILLE | By noon Saturday, Schererville Town Councilman Tom Schmitt had fielded 39 phone calls, and everyone wanted to know the same thing: what happened?
Schmitt, along with fellow Democratic Councilman Rob Guetzloff, confirmed for The Times on Friday that Schererville Town Council President Hal Slager has asked Police Chief David Dowling to resign.
Slager, a Republican, declined comment because it is a personnel issue.
Dowling, who has long been involved with the Democratic Party and serves as chairman of the St. John Township Democratic Party, also declined comment.
To remove Dowling as chief, the Republican-controlled Police Commission would have to recommend his removal to the Town Council, which then would vote on whether to remove him.
None of that has happened.
On Jan. 1, for the first time in Schererville history, power on the council shifted to the Republicans, with a 3-2 majority.
Until talk of Dowling's resignation, the council was gelling well, Guetzloff said.
"Now the teamwork is down the drain," he said. "I guess the honeymoon is over."
While in the minority on the council, Slager had said that he often felt shut out of discussions on town business. Once elected council president, he said he would have more open discussion on town business.
Guetzloff said the suggestion of being unified was a facade and now the politics are showing, and it's not good government.
"Good government is putting the Rs and Ds into a drawer and saying, 'We're all one,'" he said.
Schmitt said people are concerned and disappointed.
"They thought that that type of politics was gone in Schererville," Schmitt said. "We've got some big projects going on that I need to be spending a lot more time on than this."
News of the resignation request coincided with Schererville's annual five-day summer festival, which fueled tension between the Democrats and Republicans, whose booths were set up in close proximity.
"Normally, we would've socialized," Schmitt said.
Instead, they each stayed by their respective booths, he said.
Republican Councilman Perry Ferrini said Monday he didn't want to comment on the matter because it is a personnel issue.
Schmitt said it's not a personnel issue and he wants to know why Dowling was asked to resign.
