So where I’m from safety of an area can literally change by the block to the point where some streets are half slums known for drug dealing and violent crime and you cross one cross street and the other side is nice family homes

But unfortunately over the last few years even the “safer” areas have since increases in violent crimes, thefts, etc.

Sooo a fewer of the smaller sections decided to start a town watch a few months ago. Sounds great in theory BUUUT the issue has been that on more than one occasion these volunteers have decided to act like they are the law and so far it has always been with people who weren’t actually doing anything wrong and it’s done nothing except piss people off and I personally feel one of them is going to end up getting themselves hurt or killed for crossing the line.

The last complaint came from 2 women who were just sitting in their car on THEIR street where they live when town watch approached their windows and started demanding to know what they’re doing.

For my company I travel from client to client all day and I’m often sitting in my car if I show up too early or pull over to take a break to eat and I know if some stranger approached my window demanding to know what I was up to it wouldn’t end well. I work In both the safe and not so safe areas so my guard is always up.

My understanding is that the town will give them “town watch” status but the rules are that they only are to observe and document and report anything suspicious to the police- they are not to be confronting anyone under any circumstances.

So a few questions - does your town have a “town watch” and if so has it been beneficial?

And do you think giving citizens an official title is a bad idea because it makes them feel that they have authority that they don’t actually have?