Chose to resign rather than go through meeting

Rather than going through a departmental hearing, embattled Ironton Police Department officer Bradley Spoljaric resigned from the force last week.

Spoljaric was arrested on July 27 after an investigation by the IPD. His case, in which he was charged with first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence, second-degree felony aggravated possession of Schedule I drug and third-degree felony tampering with evidence, was moved from the Ironton Municipal Court to the Lawrence County Common Pleas court on Monday.

As a member of the Fraternal Order of Police union, Spoljaric was entitled to a departmental hearing as part of the police department’s contract.

One was scheduled for Aug. 4 at the IPD office.

“There was not actually a departmental hearing,” said IPD Chief Pam Wagner. “We were approached by his state union FOP rep and a state FOP attorney and they tendered his resignation. So, he resigned.”

Spoljaric has been an IPD officer since April 2020 and a sergeant since July 2021.

With one less sergeant on staff, Patrolman Brandon Blankenship was promoted to a sergeant position on Thursday and will work the midnight shift.

According to court documents, Spoljaric had 19 grams of methamphetamine that was given to him by a private citizen and hid in a box in his bedroom rather than turning it in to the IPD for investigation.

The domestic violence charge was for a physical fight between Spoljaric and his wife.

They were arguing in the street as a deputy was passing by and called it into the police. According to the court document, Samantha Spoljaric said “she wouldn’t write out a statement or sign an affidavit and also told officers that she would not cooperate with an investigation.”

The domestic violence charge was dropped when the charges were moved to the common pleas court because it is a misdemeanor, but it or a similar charge could be brought before the grand jury. The Lawrence County Grand jury meets on Aug. 22 and 23.

The investigation is ongoing and information is being forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office.

Anyone with information about this case can call the IPD at 740-532-5606. Information can be left anonymously.