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The defenders of George Zimmerman’s murder of Trayvon Martin depend on the concept that Zimmerman was acting under the so-called color of authority of being a “neighborhood watch captain.” There is no evidence to suggest or support that Zimmerman was actually connected to any kind of community watch group.
The media should not mention that Zimmerman had the title of being a “neighborhood watch captain” without any attribution. No one has mentioned anywhere how he came to be member of this watch group, or any action any supposed group took after the murder. (It is also interesting to note that there is no suggestion that the gated community where Martin lives took any action against Zimmerman for roving their streets as an armed stalker.)
We did some digging and found no support for the Neighborhood watch claim. The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) registers Neighborhood Watch programs and they have no listings of groups in Zimmerman’s community. Their statement on this is below (And their tweet in support of Martin’s family is above.) The NSA statement stresses that Neighborhood Watch is “is only to serve as the eyes and ears of law enforcement. . . . At no time, do we advocate any intervention actions by any watch group or individual.”
Zimmerman was not under any color of authority. Nor was Zimmerman some Clint Eastwood style vigilante. Martin had committed no crimes. Zimmerman acted only as an armed stalker, a thug, a terrorist.
Statement on the Role of Neighborhood Watch Programs in Local Communities
The USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch Program and National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), based on recent public media reports, is aware of an incident that occurred late last month, in a Sanford, Florida community, in which a reported “neighborhood watch leader” shot a teenager. The NSA, through its USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch program, is committed to making communities, across the country, safer by working with local law enforcement agencies to reduce crime and improve communities for those who live and work there.
Since 1972, the USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch Program (housed within the National Sheriffs’ Association) has worked to unite law enforcement agencies, private organizations, and individual citizens in a nation-wide effort to reduce crime and improve local communities. The success of the program has established Neighborhood Watch as the nation’s premier crime prevention and community mobilization program. More than 25,000 Neighborhood Watch groups, across the country, are currently registered with the USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch registry. Our nation is built on the strength of our citizens. USAonWatch® empowers citizens to become active partners in community, crime-fighting efforts, through participation in Neighborhood Watch groups.
NSA has no information that indicates that the community where the incident occurred has ever registered with USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch program. Neighborhood Watch is based on the premise that the role of watch groups is only to serve as the eyes and ears of law enforcement. We encourage individual groups to work directly with their local law enforcement agencies to develop procedures for reporting suspicious activities. At no time, do we advocate any intervention actions by any watch group or individual.
For additional information on the USAonWatch®-Neighborhood Watch Program or to find a Neighborhood Watch group in your area – www.usaonwatch.org.
Filed under: News, politics, progressive politics, safety, social & economic justice Tagged: | Criminal Justice, Florida, Gated community, George Zimmerman, law enforcement, National Neighborhood Watch Program, National Sheriffs' Association, Neighborhood watch, Trayvon Martin, vigilante, vigilantes, Was George Zimmerman in a Neighborhood Watch?, Zimmerman, Zimmerman and Neighborhood Watch
I watch my neighborhood daily and don’t belong to the trademarked organization. Same is true with my actual neighbors. Same is true for the church across the street that relies on me to contact them if anything strange occurs (and I do not go to that church).
There is a sign on the street that I just moved from that says it is a neighborhood watch, but it is not affiliated with that trademarked group.
True for many of my friends from my home town. They call themselves neighborhood watchers but don’t belong to a trademarked organization.
I have also seen suspicious folks walking in my neighborhood and went out to ask them what they were doing and if they needed assistance.
If they were to attack me for asking those questions, then someone is going to get hurt.
Just sayin’.
communities sticking together and contacting the authorities is one thing. Stalking innocent people because of their skin color is not about community. It is terrorism.
the media has consistently crowned Zimmerman with a sense of authority because they have labeled him a neighborhood watch captain. No one has proved Zimmerman has any such authority.
And even if such a group existed. His job was to just watch and report. Zimmerman was even told by the police to stop stalking Martin. At the very least he should have been charged “Obstruction of Govermental Authority”
And what about the gun he was carrying? Was it permitted? For what purpose? how did he get the permit based on his past history?
By questioning people that you deem suspicious, you are violating the rules of the posted neighborhood watch.
Unless your daddy is a judge like Zimmerman, don’t count on the police not charging you for hurting someone.