A story from last week and this Wednesday morning came together for this column. First, Texas has all of its school districts implementing classes on how to conduct one’s self when interacting with police officers. I thought it a bit odd at first, but the more I think about it, it’s a practical and occasionally necessary skill that most of us would not consider. After all, we raise our kids to be polite and respectful of authority figures. But then, there are those who don’t!
And that brings us to story number two: Melbourne police arrested a man who was causing a disturbance in the Tax Collector’s office on Sarno Road. Florida Today reported that John Wilson of Alaska (now homeless in Melbourne) had gone to the Tax Collector’s office, apparently to lodge a complaint. He was in the waiting room when he began yelling at employees and cursing. A manager had asked Wilson to leave and he refused, continuing his outrageous behavior. That’s when police were called.
When police arrived Wilson advised the officers that Florida law did not apply to him. My initial reaction to that news was a laugh as I wondered how that worked out for him. It worked out with him exactly as I expected. Wilson was arrested for Disturbing the Pease and Resisting Arrest. If he’d have only had the Texas class maybe things would have been different. Then again, if he had ANY class the incident would have never occurred!
It’s just lucky for him that Tax Collector Lisa Cullen was not in the Melbourne office that day; else she may have just dragged him out of the office by this ear and given him the what for as she handed him over to the cops. WV gals are accomplished at such things. Do NOT mess with Mama Bear when her cubs are in play!