One ought to be sort of careful of this terminology. IIRC in FL your handgun is not registered, as it would be in New York State. For a number of years I have held CCDW licenses in FL, PA, and DE -- in many of those years they were concurrent. In none of those states was the handgun licensed or on a permit. It was the fitness of the person to be licensed that was the prerequisite.
As a citizen employee, volunteer or hired, Zimmerman is merely a civilian with no arrest powers, whether carrying a gun open, concealed, or not carrying at all. It seems clear that his pretensions far overreached his community-appointed watcher status.
But he was not "carrying a registered gun," nor could it have been a part of his job description. His carrying could only have been as a private citizen for personal security of self, those in his own company, and/or for his own property -- not that of others.
With all due respect --
Mr. Zimmerman holds a concealed weapon permit issued from the State of Florida. He is authorized to carry the weapon in a concealed manner wherever Florida Statute dictates. Neighborhood Watch programs are designed for members of a neighborhood to be “eyes and ears” for police and to watch out for their neighbors. They are not members of the Police Department, nor are they vigilantes. Training provided by law enforcement agencies to Neighborhood Watch organizations stresses non-contact surveillance of suspicious situations and notifying police of those situations so that law enforcement can respond and take control of the situation.
Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident occurred. He was in fact on a personal errand in his vehicle when he observed Mr. Martin in the community and called the Sanford Police Department.
There is no registration requirement for weapons in FL. This statement is/was likely from a journalist with no understanding of the law, unless I’m misunderstanding something.
Every liberal friend or non-gun owner I’ve ever talked to about guns thinks that registration is required to own a gun. I laugh at them every time.