Well, it sounds like the police were pretty friendly in this incident - which goes along way in my book. Wonder if they would've driven him back (had his minders allowed it..).

And if the officer notes a history of mental patients walking the neighborhood, I concede there is "reasonable suspicion" given lack of ID.

Have to say though, it just gets worse and worse from my point of view, in terms of the judgments... weirdo walking around etc... looking at a "for sale" sign in the rain.

One cannot control how provincial any populace is... I think most of you would back me up that every block in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island has at least one old lady peering out the window all day long under a shade with the police on speed dial... are those kids going to open a hydrant?, is that a car being repaired in the street (not a garage)? etc..

In general terms, it does not get much worse than having "strangers" "removed" because thats what the local home owners purportedly want. There are many ways we can say "There are two kinds of people in this world" - one way is those that live in a gated community and those that don't. The public streets (not always paid for exclusively with local taxes) are exactly that. Open to the public - notwithstanding local laws - curfews, must wear a tee shirt etc...

Tom