A woman in Florida gained attention after refusing to cooperate with two police officers until they greeted her properly.
The woman shared a video of her interaction with two police officers who had come to her home. As they approached, one of the officers immediately asked, “Is Sylvester your brother?” Instead of answering, the woman took issue with how he addressed her. “Are you gonna speak first or you just gonna say is Sylvester my brother?” she replied. It was later clarified that by “speak,” she meant she expected the officers to greet her before asking questions.
Seeming confused by her response, the officer explained that Sylvester had called the police, which was why they were at the house. The woman, however, continued focusing on the lack of a greeting rather than the reason for the visit. “Well, that don’t matter, though. You don’t just come in nobody’s yard and not speak,” she told the officers.
The woman continued arguing with the officers, telling them that she did not care why they were there or that they were wearing badges. The officers, however, remained focused on the reason for the visit. They explained that a man named Sylvester had called them and reported that someone was living at the house who was not supposed to be there. According to the officers, he had also told them that he was afraid of that person.
“So you still not gonna speak?” the woman asked the officers loudly. The officers replied that they were speaking to her. She then explained that she expected them to begin the conversation by saying, “Hello, how are you?” Eventually, one of the officers responded, “Good afternoon. I’m sorry. My apologies.” After receiving the greeting she wanted, the woman agreed to continue the conversation and asked the officers what the problem was.
The video ended there. In the caption, the woman wrote, “POV: When you gotta teach the police some manners… ‘Excuse me, officer… we say good morning how are you around here.’ Respect goes both ways,” suggesting that she believed the officers should have greeted her before asking questions.
Viewers Side With Florida Woman Over Interaction With Police
The video sparked reactions online. Most viewers sided with the Florida woman and agreed that the officers should have greeted her before asking questions. “You had them nervous and confuse[d],” one person wrote. Another commenter pointed to the woman’s use of the word “speak,” saying, “They cannot say AAVE is not a thing! We use ‘Speak’ interchangeably for ‘greetings’.”
More viewers agreed with the woman’s response, arguing that the officers should have shown basic courtesy before asking questions. “They mom and dad didn’t teach them manners,” one person wrote. Another commenter said, “Correct‼ teach their [expletive] some respect‼” Someone else added, “I understand I’m big on manners. It’s sad you have to teach grown people. I agree with everything you said and did‼”
The video sparked a conversation about whether police officers should greet people before questioning them when responding to a call. It also led to broader discussions about respect and communication, with some viewers arguing that basic manners help build positive interactions, while others believed officers should prioritize addressing the reason for the call before focusing on social etiquette.
