Concealed Carry while on Neighborhood Watch

[thoricuncle]

Due to a recent string of vehicle and home break ins, my Home Owners Association is starting a Neighborhood watch program.

At first, I thought this was a good idea and was going to participate.

However, due to recent events in Florida (already well covered in other threads), I have been made aware that you should not carry while watching the neighborhood.

My problem is that I carry everywhere. When I walk my dog, I'm carrying. When I go to the park, I'm carrying.

I don't fancy myself a wannabe policeman and would only call in trouble and would never directly respond.

That said, if it comes down to me going out unarmed or not participating in the Watch program, I would choose not participating.

Thoughts?

 

[mappow]

Your carrying is for your protection ONLY. I would continue to CC and contribute to your neighborhood watch activities. But be highly alert upon any engagement you may initiate. NON-Escalation is the key word. WATCH-call in suspicious activity and report. Anything else could put you in violation of your State laws.

 

[jhodge83]

agreed w/ mappow. i'm a member of mine as well. i carry, but only to be used in the direct defense of myself or someone else.

 

[cordman]

Your carrying is for your protection ONLY. I would continue to CC and contribute to your neighborhood watch activities.

Well said mappow. I won't sit here & pass judgement on the events in FL. It's one incident, good, bad, or otherwise & shouldn't deter anyone from participating in their neighborhood watch.

 

[Pistoleer Pastor]

I agree on your approach to the suspected dilemma. If forced to choose between carrying or participating in the watch program, I'd do my civic duty by being an armed sheepdog on my property, and while traveling through the neighborhood in the course of my daily activities.

 

[Keykutter]

The neighborhood watch program is meant as more of a detterent than a force to be reckoned with. Your job in this case is to watch and report and not get in the middle of a crime except maybe to scare someone away.

That being said, if you are threatened, and most here understand what 'threatened' means, you are within your rights to defend yourself.

Personally, I'm not threatened unless there is a weapon of some sort or more than one BG coming at me. Then the term 'brandish' come to mind before they get too close to me and of course a call to Law Enforcement.

Not being a part of your local society for the reason you state, to me, is a copout. I understand your initial thoughts but I would work it out to be a useful member of your community.

KK

 

[cgiven1]

You don't have to participate in the nieghborhood watch to actually watch the nieghborhood. You can continue to maintain your own armed lifestyle and use your situational awareness to keep an eye on the nieghborhood. You may not actually be walking around with the others who are participating but nothing prevents you from bringing things to the attention of the police when you notice it.

 

[tmountjr]

I dealt with this a few months back in my neighborhood. We wanted to start a town watch group, but in order to be official we had to "register" with and get training from the city's town watch association, and only then would we be "official" with the PPD. Well, one of the rules was that anyone walking a patrol as a town watch member could not be armed. So I didn't join. Their organization, their rules. The point of a town watch is to...watch. Usually two-by-two, usually with radios. I won't say it's as good as going armed, but I think it does mitigate the risk of getting into trouble, as long as you merely watch.

 

[jhodge83]

^^^ ours sounds much different. we call the PD on our way out (solo mostly), drive/walk around the 8-10 subdivisions in our neighborhood, and call back in when we're done. we were told we can be armed if we have the CWP to do so.

 

[Treo]

I'd do my civic duty by being an armed sheepdog on my property, and while traveling through the neighborhood in the course of my daily activities.

I don't have any civic sheepdog duty and I wouldn't participate in a neighborhood watch. One of the things that I noted from the incident in Florida is that the police keep records of how often you call 911, I assume they also keep records of how often you call the non emergency line. I don't want to be "The guy that calls the cops everytime a duck farts"

 

[BravoSierra2012]

Your carrying is for your protection ONLY. I would continue to CC and contribute to your neighborhood watch activities. But be highly alert upon any engagement you may initiate. NON-Escalation is the key word. WATCH-call in suspicious activity and report. Anything else could put you in violation of your State laws.

That's the key. Protect yourself only, do not initiate or engage unless threatened, and be a good witness when the police show up. Pen and paper are sometimes mightier then bullets and guns.

 

[Treo]

Pen and paper are sometimes mightier then bullets and guns.

In the Army I was taught to always have something to write with, something to write on and a watch, I still carry all 3 every time I leave the house.

 

[BC1]

Precisely why I don't live in a "neighborhood." Your neighbors can be just as loony as any perp... after all, loonies have to live somewhere. Maybe they're involvede in the local neighborhood watch patrol. My watch consists of two neighbors who are close enough to see each others' houses. We call each other when we see something out of the ordinary. No one acts alone.

 

[BravoSierra2012]

Pen and paper are sometimes mightier then bullets and guns.

In the Army I was taught to always have something to write with, something to write on and a watch, I still carry all 3 every time I leave the house.

I remember drunken nights and admin duty to follow for certain behavior and some guys had a hard time with # 2 pencils staying sharp and it was pushups or running with a hangover. After a while they learned. They learned how to function with a hangover !! Lol sorry flashback. Yes something to write with and something to write on. Write that down!

 

[mappow]

I don't want to be "The guy that calls the cops everytime a duck farts"

And you have history with Fowl Flatulence?

 

[Treo]

And you have history with Fowl Flatulence?

No, but I do have a history of foul flatulence

 

[JohnL]

Carry for your protection. Have pen, paper, a camera, and a phone. Stay in your car.

I have never participated in a watch myself but I have some familiarity having been on Town boards. We found that the true measure of efficacy was...nothing. The regular presence of the watch was enough of a deterrent.

This Florida fiasco is an anomaly and not representative of neighborhood watches, handgun carry, or Stand Your Ground.

 

[SR40c]

Personally, I would pass on it. It's the cops job to patrol. My job is to protect myself, not everyone else.

 

[SGB]

I look out for my neighbors but Neighborhood watch can go

itself.

 

[mappow]

No, but I do have a history of foul flatulence

So that's what the Rocky Mountain Air is all about.