People need to be photographed when there is suspicion about them. Their colour should be of no consideration whatsoever. If we are going to be over-sensitive on this issue , then we might as well scrap the Obs Neighbourhood Watch. Criminals are not sensitive, so why should the neighbourhood watch be ? Persons being photographed should accept this sort of thing, and not be overly sensitive themselves if they have nothing to hide. It's for the good of everyone that people are photographed.
On Wed, Jul 20, 2016 at 9:26 AM, <obsnw@googlegroups.com> wrote: > obsnw@googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/obsnw/topics> > Google > Groups > <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email/#!overview> > <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email/#!overview> > Topic digest > View all topics > <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/obsnw/topics> > > - Digest for ob...@googlegroups.com - 6 updates in 1 topic > <#m_2191741723566252972_group_thread_0> - 1 Update > - SAPS and Lower Obs <#m_2191741723566252972_group_thread_1> - 1 Update > > Digest for ob...@googlegroups.com - 6 updates in 1 topic > <http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw/t/e19b15606a2ac47f?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email> > Obs NW Chairman <chair...@obswatch.org.za>: Jul 18 10:02PM +0200 > > Hi Willow, Jodi and Gazarow, > > Thanks you for your comments on this issue. > > I am disturbed that you are under the impression that ONW members view > people as are suspicious simply because they are black. (And I remind > everyone that we don't know that the two incidents mentioned here were ONW > members, but for the sake of debate lets consider that they might have > been) > > I offered an explanation to Itumeleng as to why he possibly may have been > considered suspicious in light of recent crimes in Obs and the suspect > profiles that SAPS has shared with us. I offered this explanation because I > believe that he, like most Obs residents, is progressive enough to see this > incident for what it is - a mistake. And hopefully also to realize that the > ONW is once again active and that we are trying to act in the best > interests of our entire community. > > There are no firm guidelines as to what constitutes a suspicious person or > not. Sometimes its because they fit a particular profile but more often its > because they have a nervous or aggressive air about them. It is subjective > and mistakes are bound to be made. > > I would rather risk offending someone by reporting them and found to be > mistaken, than to walk away for fear of being branded a racist only to find > that that same person commits a crime a few minutes later. Although, having > said that, over the last few days these exchanges have led me to hesitate > in reporting persons I normally would have. I think it is detrimental to > what we are trying to do as a neighborhood watch if this impression > persists and if our members (or community at large) become afraid to report > out of fear of causing offence. It is a sensitive subject, especially at > the moment, and I think it is important that we discuss it publicly for > three main reasons: > to remind ONW members to be sensitive in their behaviour (and legal > limitations); > to inform the community of what the neighborhood watch is about (thier > legal limitations) and how we are trying to make a difference in the > community and; > so we can use this as an opportunity to bring the community closer together > rather than the opposite. > > I would like to invite you (an anyone in the community) to join us at one > of our monthly meetings so that you can see how we operate and meet the > people involved. I would also appreciate your input on how we can deal with > this issue in a constructive and sensitive way. Our next meeting is on 27 > July at the Obs Community Centre at 6pm and I would like to make this > subject the focus of the meeting. I hope that you will be able to make it > and if not perhaps we can hold the discussion over for a future meeting? > > Thanks and regards, > > Steve > > > > > Back to top <#m_2191741723566252972_digest_top> > SAPS and Lower Obs > <http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw/t/a9410c4c1a50ef65?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email> > Andrew Ziffo <and...@gnuworld.co.za>: Jul 18 05:57PM +0200 > > Hello, > > Thanks very much to Carolyn, Hudson, Jason, Wayne, Paul and Steve for > following up personally and appropriately regarding the issues I raised on > Friday. Having met Wayne now my opinion is that he is going to have a > strong positive impact as the new night manager. > > Gwen and Pierre are active as the organizers of the Lower Obs patrols, and > away until mid-August. So I'd like to suggest that a Lower Obs ONW/Obsid > meeting is held sometime thereafter. > > Best wishes, > Andrew > > Back to top <#m_2191741723566252972_digest_top> > You have received this digest because you're subscribed to updates for > this group. You can change your settings on the group membership page > <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/obsnw/join> > . > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it send an > email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room TEL: 021-447-1066 or 072-063-1653 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EMERGENCIES: 10111 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ONW email: o...@obs.org.za WEB: www.obswatch.org.za FACEBOOK: facebook.com/obswatch ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Useful Obs Numbers: obs.org.za/obsdir You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood Watch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to obsnw@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
