Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
By Jonathan Hardison
The Trayvon Martin case is raising new questions about the role of neighborhood watch programs.
What are local police departments telling neighborhood watch officers about what they can and can't do?
Edith Bodenheimer calls herself the neighborhood gossip, and in her Vestavia Hills neighborhood that talent for talking comes in handy as neighborhood watch captain.
"We keep an eye on each other in this neighborhood," Bodenheimer said. "We know each other. I've had people call me if they're upset about something. But if there's a real problem, we call the police."
"This right here, that's your best weapon," Detective Michael Mangina of the Irondale Police.
Irondale police give their neighborhood watch officers strict instructions on what to look for and how to react, and it starts with protecting yourself first.
"We tell them make sure you get a good description of clothing, make sure you get a good description of vehicles, tag numbers, direction of travel and that sort of thing," Mangina said. "They can do all that from the safety of their front porch."
"You just keep an eye out for each other," Boedenheimer said. "The idea that you would confront somebody-again, that's just not what you do. You call the police."
Now neighbors like Edith are worried the Florida shooting incident will give the whole idea of neighborhood watch a black eye.
"He's definitetly gonna make the program look bad," Mangina said. "But hopefully, most everybody will understand that this was a guy acting like Batman and Robin, and they'll know not to act that way."
"I think you've got one screwed up person who did something really bad," Bodenheimer said. "But by and large the neighborhood watches I've dealt with here, it's the neighbors getting together to do something."
Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.
Neighborhood Watch Manual
What are local police departments telling neighborhood watch officers about what they can and can't do?
Edith Bodenheimer calls herself the neighborhood gossip, and in her Vestavia Hills neighborhood that talent for talking comes in handy as neighborhood watch captain.
"We keep an eye on each other in this neighborhood," Bodenheimer said. "We know each other. I've had people call me if they're upset about something. But if there's a real problem, we call the police."
"This right here, that's your best weapon," Detective Michael Mangina of the Irondale Police.
Irondale police give their neighborhood watch officers strict instructions on what to look for and how to react, and it starts with protecting yourself first.
"We tell them make sure you get a good description of clothing, make sure you get a good description of vehicles, tag numbers, direction of travel and that sort of thing," Mangina said. "They can do all that from the safety of their front porch."
"You just keep an eye out for each other," Boedenheimer said. "The idea that you would confront somebody-again, that's just not what you do. You call the police."
Now neighbors like Edith are worried the Florida shooting incident will give the whole idea of neighborhood watch a black eye.
"He's definitetly gonna make the program look bad," Mangina said. "But hopefully, most everybody will understand that this was a guy acting like Batman and Robin, and they'll know not to act that way."
"I think you've got one screwed up person who did something really bad," Bodenheimer said. "But by and large the neighborhood watches I've dealt with here, it's the neighbors getting together to do something."
Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment