WASHINGTON – The Feb. 26 shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin has put neighborhood watches into the national spotlight.
A former police chief calls the Martin case “horrendous” and says it underscores the need for neighborhood watch programs to vet volunteers thoroughly and to review the organization’s policies and training.
Chris Tutko, director of neighborhood watch programs with the National Sheriff’s Association, says neighborhood watch groups need to ask themselves, “What kind of training have you had as far as suspicious activity? Did you have any training in diversity?”
Neighborhood watch groups need to keep in mind that their mission is to act as the eyes and ears of the community, he says. They are not a substitute police force, and volunteers need to understand that when they see something suspicious.
” You call the law enforcement, and let them do their job,” Tutko says. “There’s no intervention, and there’s certainly no carrying of weapons.”
Tutko, who served as police chief in Manassas, says volunteers may have a concealed weapons permit, but organizers should make certain it’s understood that weapons are not a part of any neighborhood watch program.
“Somebody may have aggressive behavior and that has to be a red flag,” he says.
In that case, the message should be “Thank you for your efforts, but I don’t think you’re fit for this organization, and you’re not a member of neighborhood watch anymore.'”
Do:
- Conduct background checks
- Train volunteers in policies and procedures
- Have volunteers get some diversity training
- Establish protocols for determining what constitutes suspicious activity
- Make the call to the appropriate local law enforcement agency
Don’t:
- Intervene
- Carry a weapon
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow Kate Ryan and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
