By Justin Grunert

My dog loves parking! That might be a bit of a stretch, but he loves seeing the parking enforcement officers who patrol the streets of my community. I want to say thank you all of the enforcement officers in Wilton Manors, Fla. They work hard day and night to provide the community with safe parking.

Since moving to Florida about a year ago, we get up every morning and take our dogs on their morning walk. Woody, our three-legged, Great Dane-German Shepard rescue, always finds a way to meet new friends wherever we go. He is a bit of a conversation starter, but when people meet him, they instantly fall in love with him.

The walk goes fine every morning, and then we see our parking enforcement manager, Patrick. Woody goes crazy. He whines and becomes very talkative to get Patrick’s attention. Patrick drives up in his golf cart, gets out, and makes sure to give Woody the attention he desires. This occurs maybe two to three time a week (Woody wishes it would happen more often). Our dogs are great conversation starters, and we have been lucky to become acquaintances and friends with the people we meet.

To all the frontline enforcement individuals who make it a point to say hello, smile, and bring a moment of joy to the strangers they see every day–thank you!

Justin Grunert is IPMI’s LMS and training coordinator.