In Sanford, she said,
watch groups are not even supposed to make the rounds. That is the job of another kind of volunteer organization,
Citizens on Patrol, whose members are selected and trained by the police and who drive the streets in a specially marked vehicle. Members of that group, Ms. Dorival said, are armed only with a radio.
A wide range of neighborhood watch organizations exist across the country. Some have patrols,
while others like Sanfords do not. But the National Sheriffs Association, which sponsors the program nationwide, is absolutely clear on one point:
guns have no place in a watch group. A manual distributed by the association repeatedly underscores the point: Patrol members do not carry weapons.
The manual warns that watch members should not attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate a suspicious activity. It should be emphasized to members of patrols, the materials state, that they do not possess police power and they shall not carry weapons. The consequences of not following the guidelines are severe, the manual states:
Each member is liable as an individual for civil and criminal charges should he exceed his authority.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/u...borhood-watch-groups.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all