Crime & Safety
When Should a Neighborhood Watch Volunteer Call the Cops?
Law enforcement professionals want Neighborhood Watch volunteers to call in suspicious behavior, not confront suspicious persons. What do you think?
It was just over a month ago on July 13, 2013 when a jury in Sanford, Florida pronounced George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin.
Many across the country were outraged by the verdict. Citizens are still talking about stand-your-ground laws. Less has been said about Neighborhood Watch.
In regards to the neighborhood watch element of this case, what do you think should be the purpose of a Neighborhood Watch in Millbrae and when should a Neighborhood Watch volunteer call the police to step in?
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Law enforcement professionals want the volunteers to call police immediately and then step away from the situation. A police dispatcher said, “We don’t need you to do that,” after Zimmerman confirmed he was following Trayvon Martin.
During the trial Zimmerman claimed his actions were lawful because of Florida’s stand-your-ground law. While California doesn’t specifically have a stand-your-ground law, in some situations a person can use deadly force to stop an attacker.
