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APRIL 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 4

  • Text
  • Evans
  • Barron
  • Us
  • Newspaper
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Walker
  • Aftermath
  • Warstory
  • Shooting
  • Chief
  • Finner
  • Acevedo
• Meet the New HPD Chief of Police - Troy Finner • Trooper Chad Walker - Laid to Rest • Art Acevedo - Now Captain of the Love Boat • Inside a Mass Shooting • My Grandfather takes down a cop killer in the 60's • Over 60 Job Listings for LEOs in Texas

WORDS BY MICHAEL BARRON

WORDS BY MICHAEL BARRON T.J. Cleboski, J. Meliski and Falllen Harris County Deputy Donald “Pastor Doug” Knowlton Lt. Tommy J. Cleboski Deputy John Meliski Perhaps the earliest memory I have of my grandfather was him putting on his Harris County Sheriffs uniform and strapping on his gun belt. That six-inch .38 caliber Smith & Wesson seemed like a canon to a six-year-old. (My brother and I still have that very same gun.) He stood so proud in that uniform as he kissed my grandmother goodbye and made his way out the door to a waiting sheriff’s car outside. I remember looking out the window as they pulled away thinking that will be me someday, and some sixteen years later it was. I have no recollection of any ‘war stories’ that my grandfather John Meleski might have told. In fact, I knew truly little of what he did for Buster Kern, the High Sheriff of Harris County back in the day. It wasn’t until 1983 that I learned what a hero my grandfather really was, and that information came in strange but somewhat funny way. It was a slow Saturday afternoon, and I was working the day shift out of District 2. My LT. was none other than Tommy Cleboski. Tommy was somewhat of icon at Harris County and according to legend, he had worked there for 50 years or more. It was more like 30, but nevertheless it was a long time, at least for a rookie like me. Despite the fact I saw him almost every day, I knew little about this cigar smoking man other than he reminded me of my grandfather. Something about elderly polish men all looking alike. LOL Anyway, I stuck my head inside his door to say hello and he immediately started interrogating the latest rookie to his shift. “Barron is it? Come on in and have a seat. Tell me something about yourself. What the hell kind of name is Barron anyway? Irish? German? Where your people come from? How the hell did you end up on day shift? I had no idea where to start. Well sir… “Stop right there. Never, never call me SIR. I’m old as dirt and I sure as hell don’t need to be reminded of it with rookies calling me sir.” Well okay LT. Anyway, I’m half Irish on my dad’s side and polish on my mom’s side. “What’s your mommas name son? Meliski sir…I mean Meliski LT. “Meliski? What was her first name? It wasn’t Victoria was it?” Yep, it was. Wait you knew her? “Victoria Meliski? Went to Sacred Heart Academy and her daddy’s name was John? Big John Meliski was your grandfather?” Yes sir? He worked for Buster Kern and…. “Son you don’t have to tell ME who he was. I tried taking your momma out once and her daddy pulled her out of my 1940 Ford, and he said if I ever came around again, I’d be looking at the business end of a shotgun? Wait you dated my mother? Never mind, I don’t want to know the details. So, you knew my grandfather? I guess in a way I ended up here because of him. He was larger than life to me and I guess I always wanted to grow up to be like him. In fact, Jack Heard agreed to give me his badge number when I started. “Well let me tell you about your grandfather. Besides wanting to kick my ass on a regular basis, he was pretty much the reason I joined up too. Buster Kern hired damn near everyone that applied back in the day, but when they asked me if I knew anyone that worked for Buster I said, I know John Meliski and his daughter Victoria.” Wait, you told them my grandfather threatened to kick your ass for dating his daughter? 38 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 39

The BLUES - Digital Issues 2020-2023

Rex Evans Michael Barron Lagest Police Magazine Us Police Newspaper Police News Police Magazine Trooper Chad Walker Aftermath Warstory Mass Shooting New Hpd Chief Troy Finner Art Acevedo

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