He may be fired, but former Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John is nowhere near gone.
When the City Council voted 5-1 to oust him July 18 for reportedly missing a Civil Service Commission hearing because of alcohol use, his supporters packed the meeting.
That support, he said, is one of the reasons he”s planning to stay here and become an entrepreneur.
Dressed down in blue jeans and a polo, St. John was upbeat Friday morning as he surveyed the space at 404 Main St. — the home of the soon-to-open coffee shop, Café Aromas.
St. John is testing the waters as a marketing consultant there, helping out owner and friend Jill Williams. And as a musician and co-founder of the band, Flashpoint, he also plans on frequenting the monthly open mic night there once the shop opens this month.
But marketing would be a side business if all goes according to plan, he said. His main project now is getting together a private investigation and security consulting business.
After the City Council decision, do you intend to stay in Columbus?
I plan to stay here. Regardless of what the outcome was, I was amazed at the support I got. I”m not going to leave this town. The support I got, I”m not going to forget it. Whatever I do, Columbus is going to be home base.
The second I came here, I felt at home. It”s a very safe community here. People don”t tolerate crime. When things happen, no one shrugs it off.
This is a very artsy community. If you love the arts, it doesn”t get any better than Columbus.
And what are you planning to do?
We”re in the infancy stage of getting really involved in the private investigation business. I”m hoping within the next month that we can really get out some info.
That whole marketing side, I want to do that too. But (Café Aromas) is my guinea pig. I”ll use this as the prototype. Anyone can feel free to call me anytime about that.
I”ll also keep playing music. I love music. Flashpoint, which I started with Larry Priest, is playing at Station 7, Friday … Me and Larry are playing at a Contact Helpline fundraiser Friday the 13th. The Stella shout-out, we”ll be playing there.
There”s been some talk about town that you may consider making a bid for mayor. Any political aspirations?
Everybody asks that. I want to do my service to the community, and if I”m called to serve, I”ll do it if that”s what the public is calling for. I feel very indebted to the community, and I”ll do whatever the community wants me to do.
What do you think of the City Council”s decision to fire you?
The only thing I have to say is, I really appreciate the support I got. We have great people here and under the proper leadership, this place can become an even better place to live.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.