Fla. city reverses gun ban on neighborhood watch volunteers

[ATDM]

Good news for the 2nd Amendment defenders, for a change:

http://news.msn.com/us/fla-city-reverse ... volunteers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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[txglock21]

"Sanford was thrust in the national spotlight last year when Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch captain, gunned down Martin, an unarmed black teenager. Prosecutors accused Zimmerman of chasing down and killing Martin, but a jury acquitted him in July of murder."
I know this has been talked about over and over here, but it still annoys me how the media portrays what happened. "Gunned Down"..really. Can't simply say shot and killed. It sounds like GZ was hiding in the bushes waiting for innocent kids to come by to ambush. Pleease.

[Beiruty]

Maybe, just after the city ban, no one showed up the neighborhood watch meetings, and tons of angry citizens called in with their rant.
They backed off, in a flash.

United we stand, dispersed we falter.

[ATDM]

Why is it, that every time an assault (or another type of crime) is committed and a law abiding citizen defends himself with a gun, it is the criminal that gets all the sympathy?

Anyway, how does a chief of police have authority to ban guns for neighborhood watch members? If they have the permit and are legally allowed to carry, couldn't they just ignore the ban anyway?

Do police officers have the same authority here, in Texas, to override the State law and prohibit people from carrying in similar situations?

[Dave2]

Do police officers have the same authority here, in Texas, to override the State law and prohibit people from carrying in similar situations?

Dunno... That's one more thing I'd have to research before volunteering.

[ELB]

...Anyway, how does a chief of police have authority to ban guns for neighborhood watch members? If they have the permit and are legally allowed to carry, couldn't they just ignore the ban anyway?

I suspect that the Chief has authority to make rules for organizations that are officially sponsored by, affiliated with, or organized by the police department. If they don't want to follow his rules, he terminates the official relationship. But nothing would stop the neighborhood from forming its own group and calling the cops whenever they saw something suspicious.

[ATDM]

I suspect that the Chief has authority to make rules for organizations that are officially sponsored by, affiliated with, or organized by the police department. If they don't want to follow his rules, he terminates the official relationship. But nothing would stop the neighborhood from forming its own group and calling the cops whenever they saw something suspicious.

That makes sense. We have an independent watch in our neighborhood. The CHL issue didn't even come up. Firearms are to be used in extreme situations only, and until then, they stay concealed. The only ones, who need to watch out, are the criminals. Why impose restrictions on law abiding citizens?

There would never be any kind of national outcry, if it was Zimmerman, who got killed during the assault. And THAT was a real possibility.

[tommyg]

The way I understand it and I could be wrong Martin was sitting on top of Zimmerman and pounding
his head into concrete when Zimmerman used his gun. If I have my facts wrong please tell me

Our society claims to want to get rid of violent crime then they pass laws, regulations etc.
that protect criminals at the expense of honest people. Our society needs Psychiatric treatment

[jmra]

The way I understand it and I could be wrong Martin was sitting on top of Zimmerman and pounding
his head into concrete when Zimmerman used his gun. If I have my facts wrong please tell me

Our society claims to want to get rid of violent crime then they pass laws, regulations etc.
that protect criminals at the expense of honest people. Our society needs Psychiatric treatment

Or an unrevised history lesson.

[Vol Texan]

Anyway, how does a chief of police have authority to ban guns for neighborhood watch members? If they have the permit and are legally allowed to carry, couldn't they just ignore the ban anyway?

Do police officers have the same authority here, in Texas, to override the State law and prohibit people from carrying in similar situations?

We have the same problem here in Houston, covered by this old thread: /viewtopic.php?f=7&t=38861. (The OP in that thread lives here in my own community.). This is precisely why i won't join our neighborhood's Citizen's Patrol program. I simply refuse to engage in an activity that simultaneously increases both my (a) exposure and (b) risk profile.