In Reply: "Neighborhood watch generally instructs their volunteers not to follow, interact with, or confront anyone suspicious."

In reply to the following comment at the Politico.com post: Who are the real thugs? - Roger Simon:

"No- dispatch said they didnt NEED him to, they have a legal and civil liability if he were to be hurt (which he was). On the other hand, the burglar that was caught earlier in that neighborhood was seen by construction workers who called 911 and were ASKED to follow and see where the suspect went. And its an odd position you take that neighborhood watches instruct members not to watch." - markbuehner

Neighborhood watch generally instructs their volunteers not to follow, interact with, or confront anyone suspicious. If the behavior is serious or suspicious enough to call the police about, it's serious enough that the volunteer should not insert himself into the situation, even accidentally. (Also, they instruct their volunteers not to carry firearms while patrolling.)

((And yes, I know Zimmerman was just going to/from the store, and not formally patrolling... There's also some question as to whether he was even a part of the neighborhood watch, anymore...))

As for dispatch, the intent was pretty clear to me, anyway, but it would've been better if the "advice" was more direct. (The dispatcher in the Zimmerman / Scheibe dispute where he broke her iPad was MUCH more clear when speaking to the girlfriend:

"I want you to stay away from the house right now until we get there. We need to see the situation."

If only Zimmerman's dispatcher had been as clear...
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Posted Wednesday, Feb 19, 2014, 1:29 PM