Guardian Angels
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- For the spirit who is believed to protect and to guide a particular person see Guardian angel (spirit).
The Guardian Angels are an international safety organization in 61 cities around the world. The organization was founded in New York City in 1979 by Curtis Sliwa and now operates throughout the United States as well as Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, the Philippines, and New Zealand.
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 if they witness a serious crime occurring. This attracted both public praise and official criticism. The organization now focuses on crime prevention through community empowerment and education; running programs and workshops in schools, community centres and businesses. Their trademark Safety Patrols continue throughout the world.
The Guardian Angels official mottos are Dare To Care™ and Role Models For Real Life™.
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[edit] History
Founded by Curtis Sliwa in 1979, many of the original Angels worked at the east Fordham Road McDonald's in the Bronx where Sliwa was a manager, and had been members of Sliwa's volunteer garbage clean-up group, The Rock Brigade. "The Rock" was Sliwa's nickname. Originally formed as "The Magnificent 13" the group soon became the Guardian Angels as the membership expanded.
In the beginning, members were often arrested on allegations of harassment or public disorder but never convicted. Some argued that the Guardian Angels were naïve vigilantes causing more trouble than good. Others argued that they were effectively deterring crime and providing hope for a city then known as the crime capital of the world. At the time, New York City was suffering from huge debts and was broadly cutting back municipal services. Following the rapid growth of the Guardian Angels in the early 1980s, city governments have increasingly reached out to their citizens in search of public participation and involvement in their communities [citation needed].
Curtis Sliwa has also attracted controversy over his style of public address and speech. He admitted that he had fabricated criminal incidents "that clearly had not taken place" in the late 1970s and early 1980s, in order to attract favorable media attention.[citation needed]
Over the years, the Guardian Angels have sought to improve relations with city officials by working with them and increasing the level of their training to focus on safety and professionalism. By the middle of the 1990s, the Guardian Angels were becoming increasingly accepted by New York City officials [citation needed]. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has publicly supported the group.
The Guardian Angels have established chapters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Cape Town, South Africa, two of the most violence-plagued cities in the world [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.
While the organization has received more support or acceptance from police departments, Toronto's police chief, Bill Blair, opposes the group making unfounded accusations that they are "exploiting the concern of this city to make a buck." (refer: Globe and Mail, 1 March 2006, A9) even though the organization is a non-profit. There still remains the misconception among the public that the Angels are vigilantes who take the law into their own hands and commit crimes. To date, no Guardian Angel has ever been convicted of a crime much less false arrest. They are trained to always call the police when witnessing a serious crime.
Much of the public fear and concern with the Guardian Angels centers around the training and accountability of a group that actively serves public safety. While the organization possesses no more authority than a private citizen, the public concern is that they will be unlawfully harassed or arrested. Historically, there have been many citizen groups that have claimed to serve public safety interests only to exercise their racial or political agendas. This is probably why some people view the Angels as militant, fascist, or right-wing. The organization however accepts members regardless of race, gender, age, religion, political view, or sexual orientation.
Supporters of the group note that there are over 60 chapters in more than 9 countries. The Guardian Angels also have the support of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; and have worked with groups such as the YMCA [citation needed], the National Crime Prevention Council [citation needed], the United Way, Transit for the Masses [1], and the Points of Light Foundation. [citation needed]
[edit] Activities
The original and main Guardian Angels activity is the "Safety Patrol" in which members walk the streets or ride transit. 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 like franchise networks supporting each other regionally. However, minimum standards of activity and professionalism are required and monitored to remain in operation.
The Guardian Angels are an equal opportunity organization that encourages diversity. Since the organization originated on the then-violent subways and streets of New York City, many early members were young, toughened minorities from the ghettos. The organization, however, is becoming more diverse. Some may view the organization as conservative since Curtis Sliwa hosts a popular New York radio talk show on WABC where he usually favors populist conservative views. However, the organization emphasizes diversity and includes members all over the political spectrum including liberals, socialists, and libertarians.
Anyone without a recent or serious criminal record and who is not a member of a gang or racial hate group may join the Guardian Angels. In order to join the Safety Patrol program, members must be at least 16 years old. Younger members are encouraged to participate in youth programs. Safety Patrol members are prohibited from carrying weapons. 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.
Two Guardian Angels have been killed while on a patrol. Frank Melvin was shot by a police officer in Newark, New Jersey in 1981. The officer alleged that Melvin was running toward his partner in a hostile manner. Juan Oliva was shot by a gang member in New York City in 1983. Two other former members were killed while intervening in muggings. It should be noted that there is no such thing as an undercover Guardian Angel. Guardian Angels must be in uniform to represent the organization. No Guardian Angel on a Safety Patrol has been killed since 1983. Today, most police departments know the patrols are unarmed, and gangs do not view the Guardian Angels as a rival gang that is threatening to sell drugs on their turf. It is the goal of the Guardian Angels not to divide communities but bring all members of that community together, especially those who are disenfranchised, migrant, destitute, and discriminated against.
[edit] CyberAngels
CyberAngels was founded in 1995 as the first cyber-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] Guardian Angels worldwide
In the years since their founding as thirteen people in the the Bronx, the Angels have grown into a worldwide, multi-national group.
[edit] Japan
A local organisation 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 only second 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.
[edit] United Kingdom
In London the Guardian Angels have been active since 1989. In Britain, the law requires citizens acting in self-defence to use "reasonable force", 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 for certain crimes) or use of force is only employed in extreme cases. [1]
Their presence in London has been highly controversial, press articles having likened their actions to vigilantism. In 1989, discussion in Parliament has 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 has been rejected. [2]
[edit] South Africa
The Guardian Angels South Africa was established in 2005 by a police officer in Cape Town. No other Guardian Angels chapter has ever been established and run by a police officer, although one chapter in America was established and run by the town’s mayor. South Africa, unfortunately, has the highest crime rate of any industrialized nation. Racial tensions and hostility still remain from the Apartheid era. The goal of the Guardian Angels South Africa is not only to address the enormous crime and violence problem, but also to bring people of all races to work together in communities of all races.
[edit] Canada
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 death of teenager Jane Creba in a busy downtown street 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 the mayor David Miller and the police chief Bill Blair stated they were not interested in trying what had not worked twice before. When Sliwa arrived with 3 other Angels, Miller refused 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 has expressed her support for the Guardian Angels as has former television anchor Peter Kent and former professional boxer (and now radio talk show host) Spider Jones.
A new Ottawa Chapter is planned, with an official opening in February 2007.
In May 2006, after a reportedly successful meeting with the mayor of Calgary, the Guardian Angels announced plans to open a chapter in the city in the summer of 2006. They also have plans to expand to Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon and other major Canadian cities.
[edit] New Zealand
In January 2006, the Guardian Angels opened in Waitakere City west of Auckland and New Zealand's fifth largest city. The Regional Coordinator is Andrew Cawston who moved there from Canada. Unlike in eastern Canada, the Guardian Angels have received a much warmer and more positive reception from local officials and law enforcement.
[edit] Trivia
- 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.
- The Clash recorded their tribute to the group, "Red Angel Dragnet," on their 1982 release "Combat Rock." The "Angels of N-Y-C" of the song lyrics is a reference to the Guardian Angels, and the "Red" in the title to their trademark red berets. The line "Not even five enforcement agencies can save their own, never mind the people" attests to the state of New York City at the time. The song is no unambiguous endorsement as Travis Bickle, the disturbed vigilante protagonist of Martin Scorcese's classic film Taxi Driver, is heavily referenced as well.
- 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.
- The 2005 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories features a more violence-oriented parody of the Guardian Angels called the "Avenging Angels." Headed by a man called Jesus Max Sentenz, the Avenging Angels seek to rid Liberty City of crime in their own "special" way. The player has the option to work for the Angels, dispatching riotous mobs and bikers by any means possible, with special vehicles and wardrobes offered up as rewards. The Avenging Angels' uniforms also resemble the Guardian Angels' uniforms.
- Paul Reubens of Pee-Wee Herman notoriety appears in Season 4, Episode 409 of Reno 911 as "Citizen's Patrolman Rick." He wears a red beret with pins, khaki shorts and shirt, and a matching khaki mini-cape.
