While all Boards hope that violence never happens within their communities, sometimes the unimaginable happens.
Recently, in West Babylon, NY, two residents who lived in a Homeowners Association engaged in an altercation, with one neighbor shooting another neighbor with a flare gun.
As a Board, what’s the proper protocol in such a situation?
The Board should issue a notice to the community as to what transpired and let all residents know that the safety and well-being of their residents is their top priority. However, the Board must stress that these disputes are now police matters and cannot get involved in isolated incidents between neighbors.
The Board must focus on advising all residents that should they ever feel threatened or if a situation is escalating, they must call the police. While residents often look to the Board for intervention, Board members should not place themselves in danger.