Politics & Current Events
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
So, what's the deal with neighborhood watch programs?
Who knows about these? Presumably they vary from one neighborhood to another. I'm interested whether Zimmerman was on an active "shift" where he was driving around specifically looking for signs of trouble, or whether certain people simply volunteer be on the lookout as they otherwise go about their business? Curious if there was a protocol encouraging them to talk to people they don't recognize? Not saying this has any bearing on the case, I'm just curious what being a neighborhood watch volunteer entails.
Re: So, what's the deal with neighborhood watch programs?
Neighbourhood watch here is simply an education and awareness campaign. You get a flyer and maybe a meeting about how to lock up your homes/tools etc... properly (not to leave a ladder on the side of your house for example) and get a list of #'s to call (emergency/non emergency/gas/power etc...) to report suspicious activity. Neighbourhood watch is as much about crime prevention as property damage/community damage prevention and its all about reporting. It's simply a willingness to be on the lookout for your community and neighbours.
There is no "shift" whereby you wander around your community with a loaded weapon following teens through your streets. If you see something "suspicious" ie) kids with spray paint, you can call your local non emergency police # to report possible vandalism. If you see someone climbing into your neighbours window with a mask you call 911. You also get a list of #s of participants here and their addresses so you can call them if something's weird going on at their house or if you're going on vacation and need someone to check on your house.
I really do not think anything this man was doing was a regular part of a neighbourhood watch program. He was a wannabe cop nutcase who had no idea how neighbourhood watch actually worked.
Also, I think one of the best parts of community watch are the community BBQ's and meetings that let you get to know your neighbours, their kids, etc... part of keeping an eye on your community is getting to know one another and looking out for one another. A kid walking through my community with pop and candy would not be "suspicious" in the slightest.
Zeus and Bubba
I am not a fan. They either work really well (see Lanie) or you get a rogue bunch of wannbes who think they are the law and don't understand their limitations.
I see no reason for them actually. I don't understand why a group is needed to do the neighborly thing anyway
Yeah I'll see if I can find the brochure that I looked at but it basically says "Do NOT follow anyone, do not engage the individual in question, do not, do not, do not" It's just reporting and going over what is and is not reportable. ie) No Mr. Thomson it is not required that you call the police to report children building a tree fort in the ravine. That's just kids being happy kids. Chill out.
This was no neighbourhood watch. They make it clear that its just about observations while you go through your day and nothing that requires a "shift".
I think its a good concept when you aren't crazy.
I think it Canada is different. We have a lot of polar bears and moose damage. We need to be vigilant.
make their homes and apartments less inviting as a target for thieves;
Communicate in effective ways with one another and the Police Services;
make personal property less desirable to burglars; and,
identify suspicious activity in the neighbourhood
This is what its about here. More about making your environment less inviting.
My husband was a neighborhood watch block captain for a while, and the above is a pretty good summary of what he did.
The "patrols," the gun carrying, confronting visitors are absolutely NOT part of the program. This whole thing shouldn't have happened.
"The hardest thing is to live richly in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for the past." - Sylvia Plath
The "shifts" turn this into a volunteer security force to me. Neighbourhood watch should literally be some education on how to keep your house safe and a list of #'s to call and "do's and don'ts" of calling.
I think when you add "shifts" you get weirdos.
LOL. not everyone who did a "shift" would be a weirdo. But I think when you put someone in a position of power like that you're going to get trouble. Unless there is specific training etc... in which case it is a volunteer security unit and NOT neighbourhood watch.
Shifts or no shifts, all the neighborhood watch is supposed to do is distribute flyers and be on the look out for suspicious activity, aka call the cops if you see something shady and let them do their business.
No neighborhood watch that I know of is tasked with patrol, approaching those they suspect, or any sort of handling of the situation past a call to 911.
Click me, click me!
I help run our local neighborhood watch. We do not have shifts. We are just supposed to look out for our neighbors. The watch is just that a watch. You are not supposed to confront or follow suspicious people. You are more supposed to provide additional eyes for the neighborhood and contact the police. Get descriptions of vehicles and license plates if you can and that kind of thing. The biggest part is just getting people to know and look out for their neighbors.
We also send out emails to warn people of crime activity. For example, there has been a red pick up truck with cardboard covering the license plate stealing bicycles, air conditioners, metal planters, and other items that could be used for scrap metal. We specially requested if anyone sees this vehicle to contact the police and not to confront them in the email.