“He broke no law by doing so and was following Neighborhood Watch policy.”
You’ve written something that has triggered a thought. Has any intrepid reporter looked into exactly what this community’s Neighborhood Watch policy is? What the written guidelines of action are, if any?
“What the written guidelines of action are, if any?”
I don’t have first hand knowledge of the policy. There was another member of the community NW interviewed who said following suspicious persons at a distance to maintain knowledge of their whereabouts was NW policy. I don’t remember where I read it but you should be able to find it.
The Sanford Neighborhood Watch guidelines have been pretty widely published, but to be honest, they're not really relevant. Neighborhood Watch is not a job. It's established that he was carrying a gun legally, and that "following" is also legal. And aside from all that, Zimmerman was not on a "neighborhood watch" patrol, he was on a personal errand (to Target, I believe.)
It doesn't matter. It's a free country. We're all allowed to follow whoever we want to follow in our communities. Community watch or not. The only time that's NOT allowed is by court order (stalking cases, abusive spouse - etc).
Newspapers even have the right to photograph people on sidewalks and follow them... just as I have that right - and you do too.
U The 911 operator suggested Zimmerman NOT follow Trayvon for HIS safety because following alleged criminals can be dangerous. The operator was not implying that all blacks have special rights the rest of us don't have...