How to act if you witness suspicious activities in our neighborhood

Dear all,

On Thursday, March 13, 2025, there was an incident that involved a few residents. One resident was mistakenly accused of being a suspicious person, and photos of this resident were posted to our Facebook community page. This triggered a further escalation of the incident with the involvement of additional residents. Everything was ultimately resolved by Sheriff’s Office deputies who intervened.

Members of the board discussed the incident with some of the individuals involved and with the Sheriff’s Department, and we decided to post the following message as a reminder of how to resolve cases like this.

If you notice an individual that you deem suspicious, please do not confront the individual and please do not follow people for what you believe is a traffic violation. Call 225-289-5000 unless it is believed to be an emergency then call 911, let the Sheriff’s Office do their job. If you have video/audio evidence you want to share, you can contact the HOA or deliver them to the responding officers. While every resident has the right to protect their property, only law enforcement has the authority to act in communal and public spaces.

The goal of the HOA board and the Sheriff’s department is to avoid escalating incidents like these.

Once again, if you see suspicious individuals, do not confront them, do not post pictures on the Facebook group or other social media. Pick up your phone and call 225-389-5000 or 911 if deemed an emergency.

Hunters Trace Homeowners Association Board