"Norminn" wrote in message
...
On 3/29/2012 2:37 AM, John Carter wrote:

Don;t know who is telling the truth, but one thing
I know for sure - either Zimmerman wasn't properly
trained in the neighborhood waych program, or he was
ignoring what he waas told. I am a member of our
city neighborhood watch program, and I know for sure that
NO guns permitted. It's the neighborhood WAYCH proram, not
the neighborhood LAW ENFORCENENT program.

Agreed. I think that's going to weigh against him if he's indicted. Every
watch program I've known of follows similar rules. Why? Zimmerman showed
us why. )-:

The police want eyes
and ears out there, not an untrained civilian with sidearms
going after a suspicious character. We operate in pairs and
without weapons. We did disnss a member for bringing a gun to
a watch. Our watch program is now inits seventh year, and during
that time, we have been responsible for many leads leading to arrets.
Our local police department loves the work we do to help them.

I've said it before. Cops like the assist from well-run neighborhood watch
programs but a lot of them don't like the idea of lone, armed vigilantes
running around acting like the police. That's especially true of undercover
and plainclothes cops who even fear being shot by their uniformed and
well-trained brethren.

The Orlando paper had a story about the Sanford neighborhood watch/PD
roles. Not only is NW NOT supposed to carry weapons, they are not
supposed to PATROL. There is an entirely separate group, trained by PD
and driving marked vehicles, who are supposed to patrol under their
program.

That makes perfect sense. There's an incredible difference in stopping a
person to ask them what they're doing when you're in marked patrol car and
when you're in your private vehicle. In the former case, your intent and
association with law enforcement is clear. In the latter, who knows what
kind of sociopath you are?

--
Bobby G.