Neighborhood Watch and Gladys Kravitz

Our neighborhood watch program is out of control. Our neighborhood is approximately 1 square mile with 1700 lots that is located in a rural/unincorporated area and is about 12 miles from any shopping district. It is in a low-crime area and we are controlled by an HOA. Our neighborhood watch committee waits in their vehicles on street corners in and outside of our neighborhood taking notes of the comings and goings of the residents. They take shifts and patrol the neighborhood on foot day and night. Our block captain wanted a list from each person that included name, address, phone number, vehicle description with license plate number, the times and days you work, and the vehicle information for the people that come to your house. They encouraged the residents to have a pad of paper on their car front seat so they can take notes and to give that information to your block captain. Our local sheriff department is involved in all of this and all information gets channeled up to our sheriff liaison for this neighborhood. I saw one person on a bicycle with a video camera attached to his helmet and he drove around recording everybody. One day I was jogging and I saw one of the watchers sitting in their vehicle on a street corner, as I went by he took a picture of me. Another time I was riding my bike and a watcher with a video device rode beside me in her vehicle and recorded me. I have had watchers follow me in their vehicles when I leave the neighborhood. The sheriff stated at an HOA meeting that anyone out after dark is the bad guy and to call the sheriff so they can come and check them out. One night at 9:00 p.m. after transcribing for 4 hours straight, I walked out front onto my driveway to stretch and get some air. One of our “Gladys Kravitz” must have thought I was the bad guy since it was after dark and called our sheriff liaison who did a drive by to check me out. Another time, I came home late from grocery shopping and one of our “Gladys Kravitz” stood on the sidewalk and watched me as I brought the groceries into my house. They stood on the sidewalk for another 30 minutes after I brought my car into the garage and closed the door. Our watchers share and compare notes with the watchers from the neighborhood that is 1 ½ miles away. It is a complete invasion of privacy. Remember this is small town USA and nothing goes on here, there is nothing to do here. It’s just a bunch of nosy Nellies with way too much time on their hands. Does this sort of thing go on in other neighborhoods across the country?