Guardian Angels
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For the spirit who is believed to protect and to guide a particular person see Guardian angel. The Guardian Angels is a non-profit, international, volunteer organization of unarmed citizen crime patrollers. The Guardian Angels organization was founded February 13, 1979 in New York City by Curtis Sliwa and has chapters in 13 countries (in 140 cities) around the world[1]. Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City subways. The organization originally trained members to make citizen's arrests for violent crimes. The organization patrols the streets and neighborhoods but also provides education programs and workshops for schools and businesses. In the beginning, New York City Mayor Ed Koch publicly opposed the group. Many government officials also opposed the group whenever they attempted to open a chapter in their cities. Over the years, however, as the novelty of the organization and controversy has died down, and as citizen involvement and outreach has increased, there has been less public opposition to the group by government officials. Former Mayor Ed Koch later reversed his stance on the organization,[2] and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have publicly supported the group, although Toronto Mayor David Miller and Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair publicly oppose the group.[citation needed]
[edit] Casualties
Frank Melvin was shot and killed by a police officer in Newark, New Jersey on December 30, 1981. The officer alleged that Melvin was running toward his partner in a hostile manner. Members on patrol argued, Melvin was approaching the officer to ask if he could help him. The two officers were responding to a call about a commercial burglary. (According to author Marcus Gray, the song "Red Angel Dragnet" by the British rock band The Clash was inspired by this event.)[citation needed] Juan Oliva was shot by a gang member in New York City on July 30, 1983. They were the only two to die while in uniform and on patrol.
Malcolm Brown, a former member, was shot and killed in New York City on July 3, 1980 while trying to help two senior citizens being mugged. Sherman Geiger, a member, was stabbed and died in New York City on August 24, 1987, while pursuing a burglar. He was not in uniform or on patrol. Glenn Doser was shot and killed in Los Angeles in March 1993 trying to help a woman who was being mugged. He was not in uniform or on patrol either. [1] James Richards, a former member and anti-gang activist, was shot numerous times and killed near his driveway in Venice, California in October 2000. [2]
[edit] Chapters
The Guardian Angels have established chapters in Washington, D. C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, London, Toronto, Dallas, Tokyo, Houston, Cape Town, Auckland, and York, (Pennsylvania). Recently, the organization has established chapters in smaller cities such as the Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Brockton. The York Chapter is also the only chapter in the world that not only works with, but provides foot patrols with official law enforcement officers and agencies.[citation needed] The Guardian Angels have also begun to include youth programs, teacher programs, disaster response, an Internet safety program called the CyberAngels, self-defense courses, as well as community outreach addressing issues beyond crime.
[edit] Los Angeles Chapter
The Guardian Angels Safety Patrol Organization made it to the West coast in 1981 by establishing a Chapter in Los Angeles California. The Los Angeles Chapter grew and reached its zenith in membership in the mid-1980s with over 6 Chapters and over 250 members. Although the Chapter was active in 1990s its membership was on the decline. By the late 1990s there was only a single Venice Beach Chapter remaining in Los Angeles. Between the late 1990s and 2006, there was virtually no Los Angeles Chapter of the Guardian Angels. Except for a few attempts to restart the Los Angeles Chapter in 2003 and 2004 the Angels were not patrolling the streets of LA.[citation needed] In 2006 there was a successful effort to restart the Los Angeles Chapter. This effort was lead by Alex Makarczyk, a Guardian Angel who previously served in the Los Angeles Chapter in the Mid-1980s. His return to the Guardian Angeles was prompted by the death of a fellow Guardian Angel who was shot to death out side his home on October 18, 2000. James Richards was not on patrol when he was gunned down in the early morning hours, but he was assisting local law enforcement with information about crime and drug dealing in his neighborhood.
Today, the Los Angeles Chapter is strong and growing. The Chapter has a good working relationship with local law enforcement. The Chapter works closely with Curtis Sliwa and has a goal of implementing, innovative, and proven training methods to promote a higher standard of Guardian Angel.[citation needed]
[edit] Activities
The original and main Guardian Angels activity is "Safety Patrol" in which members walk the streets or ride transit. Guardian Angels must be in uniform to represent the organization. They can be identified by their red berets and red jackets or white t-shirts with the Guardian Angels logo of an eye inside a shield with wings. Chapters operate similar to franchise networks supporting one another regionally under standard rules, regulations, and training. The Guardian Angels state that they are an equal opportunity organization that encourages diversity. The organization accepts volunteers who do not have a recent or serious criminal record and are not members of a gang or racial hate group. In order to join the Safety Patrol program, members must be at least 16 years old. Younger members are allowed to participate in youth programs. Safety Patrol members are prohibited from carrying weapons and are physically searched before patrolling. They are trained in basic first aid, CPR, law, conflict resolution, communication, and basic martial arts. Members are paired up and follow the directions of a Patrol Leader. Members, however, are allowed to do whatever they feel is lawful and necessary in case their lives, or the lives of other citizens, are endangered or fear serious personal injury. As of 2006, the Guardian Angels have been active in Orlando, Florida due to the increase in murder and crime rates.[3]
Boston, Massachusetts followed suit in 2007, at first to the opposition of Mayor Tom Menino who eventually supported the group due to the welcoming the Angels received from the people. Residents of Brockton, Massachusetts followed Boston's lead in March 2008 by launching a new chapter in response to a rise in street violence. Unlike other cities, in Brockton, the chapter has been able to quickly build a working relationship with the city's police chief. The Los Angeles Chapter of the Guardian Angels is one of the oldest, beginning in 1981, just two years after the group was founded back in 1979. The Los Angeles Chapter is still active today and it is recognized for its "state of the art" Guardian Angels training program.
[edit] CyberAngels
CyberAngels was founded in 1995 by Gabriel Hatcher as an online "neighborhood watch". Originally the group monitored chatrooms directly with the intent of apprehending sexual predators. Later the group took what it had learned and changed its focus to educating police, schools, and families about on-line abuse and cyber crime. In 1998, CyberAngels received a Presidential Service Award.
[edit] Controversy
In 1992 Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa issued a public apology for staging several subway rescues in the 1980s in order to get publicity for the group[4]. Since the statute of limitations on filing false police reports had expired, no charges were brought against him or the organization. Sliwa also admitted that the New York City Chapter primarily patrolled the Restaurant Row section of midtown Manhattan, except for occasional well-publicized patrols in other areas and subway patrols to recruit new members.[5]
[edit] Publicity
The 1981 CBS made-for-TV movie "We're Fighting Back," featuring Bronx-born Ellen Barkin, was based on the Guardian Angels. Angels members signed releases giving Warner Bros. permission to depict their lives. In some cases, their brand or identity is used by others. Notably, while performing in World Championship Wrestling, Ray Traylor wrestled under the alias "The Guardian Angel" for a short time, complete with an authentic Guardian Angels uniform.[citation needed] In 1998, the Angels authorized Casio to release a limited edition of G-Shock Guardian Angels Raysman watch (DW9300GA-4T, module 1584), dominated by Red with Black accent. Around metal bezel, it is printed "We Dare to Care", "Guardian Angels" & "Safety Patrol". The watch also features a titanium caseback with Guardian Angels logo.[citation needed]
[edit] Outside of the United States
In the years since their founding as thirteen people in the Bronx, the Angels have grown into a worldwide, multi-national group.
A local organization of the Guardian Angels was formed in Japan in 1996, which has a low violent crime rate compared to many other industrial countries. Recently, however, Japan is beginning to experience greater public disorder and criminal activity. The Guardian Angels Japan has chapters in most of the major cities and is second only to America in membership and activities. Keiji Oda, the founder and president of the Guardian Angels Japan, joined the Boston and New York City chapters in the 1980's. As with most American concepts, the Guardian Angels received both immediate acceptance and rejection in Japan. However, Oda succeeded in convincing Japanese officials that the organisation would be run by Japanese members for the Japanese people, and the principles of the organization were not just American but universal. Official acceptance culminated with a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2005. The Guardian Angels were the first community organization in Japan to ever be awarded non-profit status.[6][7] Four members of the Japanese Guardian Angels appear in an episode of Insomniac with Dave Attell filmed in Tokyo. Dave interviews them before their attention is diverted to an (apparently) drunk and disorderly individual.[citation needed]
[edit] United Kingdom
In London the Guardian Angels have been active since 1989, however, by 2007 they have become a very small group of around 12 and with very little activity. In Britain, the law requires citizens acting in self-defence to use only "reasonable force" which is appropriate to the situation, which leads to Guardian Angel training to centre on using the minimum possible force and to only use force to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating. All violent crimes are reported to the police, and intervention leading to citizens' arrests (legal in Britain) or use of force is only employed in extreme cases.[8] Their presence in London was highly controversial in the first decade of existence, press articles having likened their actions to vigilantism. In 1989, discussion in Parliament raised the possibility of American members of the Guardian Angels being deported owing to their presence being "not conducive to the public good" but this was rejected.[9]
[edit] South Africa
[edit] Canada
In
Calgary,
Alberta, on March 24, 2007, a group of Guardian Angel trainees did one last training patrol, the day before their expected graduation day. They toured the East side of the downtown.
A Toronto chapter was originally formed in 1982 and ran until 1984. A smaller chapter ran briefly in the Parkdale area of Toronto in 1992 but disbanded. The 2005 "Boxing Day shooting" resulted in the death of teenager Jane Creba on a busy downtown street, and provoked renewed attention to law-and-order issues in Canada, and Curtis Sliwa stated that he had been contacted by many Torontonians interested in having a local chapter. On July 13, 2006, a new chapter of the Guardian Angels Canada formed in Toronto, Ontario. However, both mayor
David Miller and police chief Bill Blair stated they were not interested in trying what had not worked twice before.[14] When Sliwa arrived with 3 other Angels, Miller declined to meet with them, stating that police work was best left to the police. Despite the opposition of the Mayor, community groups, and the police chief, the Toronto Chapter moved ahead. 2006 mayoral candidate Jane Pitfield expressed her support for the Guardian Angels as did former television anchor Peter Kent and former professional boxer (and now radio talk show host) Spider Jones. Toronto's first group of Guardian Angels hit the streets Thursday, July 13 for their inaugural patrol in the city's downtown core.The group's official launch in Toronto came just two days after members were forced to move their graduation ceremony from a seniors residence on Dundas Street. A Vancouver chapter was in operation as of November 2006. There was a chapter there in the early 1980s. Some of the alumni from that group are assisting with the new chapter. A attempt to organise a chapter in Ottawa failed after the police and city refused to cooperate plus a negative reaction and lack of interest from the majority of its population A Calgary chapter was set-up, with the first group finishing its training in March 2007.[15] A Halifax chapter is in operation as of May 2008. Recent outbreaks of violent crime in Halifax had prompted citizens to contact the Guardian Angels, urging them to start a chapter.[16][17]
[edit] New Zealand
In January 2006, the Guardian Angels opened its New Zealand Headquarters in Henderson, a suburb of Waitakere City west of Auckland, New Zealand's fifth largest and largest cities respectively (to be amalgamated with others into a "super-city" in 2010). The NZ National Director is Andy "Chieftain" Cawston. New Zealand's inaugural Guardian Angels Patrol was held on January 13, 2006. Since then, Guardian Angels have also been active in South Auckland; however the activities of that Chapter have been temporarily halted for logistical purposes.
On August 30, 2007 Curtis Sliwa graduated the Auckland CBD Chapter, led by Anna "Kimodo" Cruse. This Chapter's first official Patrol was on the following evening, August 31, 2007.[citation needed] Members of the Wellington Chapter held their inaugural training and orientation Patrol on October 6, 2006 in the Auckland CBD.
Within New Zealand, The International Alliance of Guardian Angels is recognized and registered as a Charitable Trust for tax purposes. Their headquarters is the Henderson Returned Services Association Inc. offices on Railside Avenue, Henderson, NZ.
[edit] Mexico
In 2007, a chapter formed in Mexico City led by the Canadian professional wrestler Vampiro.[18]
[edit] Australia
A Guardian Angels Chapter actively patrolled in Sydney in the early nineties but disbanded after a short time. A Chapter was formed in Canberra, the Capital City, in 2008 but has yet to begin patrolling although some school and internet safety programs are being conducted.
[edit] In popular culture
In
Trigger Happy TV, a hidden camera show, a man presenting himself as a commander of the Guardian Angels verbally abuses tube passengers while yelling "Everybody okay? Everybody is safe".
