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The last weekend of March 2007 had some Albertans seeing red as Angels appeared in the province's two largest cities.

When the American-based Guardian Angels were graduating their first training class in Calgary and holding an organisational meeting in Edmonton, two police chiefs and one mayor were less than welcoming the news of their arrival.

The citizen volunteer street patrol group had been eyeing chapters in both cities for some time. Now that they're up and running, many residents were asking what the Guardian Angels are all about and what their impact on local crime might be.

background | Calgary | Edmonton | political reaction

The Guardian Angels had its beginnings in New York City in 1979. Founded by Curtis Sliwa, many of the original Angels worked at a McDonald's restaurant where Sliwa was a night manager. Prior to that, Sliwa ran a volunteer garbage clean-up group called The Rock Brigade.

According to his official biography, Sliwa was once "expelled from the prestigious Brooklyn Prep School during his senior year for student activism." (link opens as a Word document)

Wearing easily identifiable red berets and red sateen jackets, but carrying no weapons, members of Sliwa's anti-crime patrol started out keeping order in New York City's subways, initially targetting the Number 4 Train, one of the worst subway lines in New York City, then known as the “Mugger's Express.” Sliwa claims some of the credit for the huge drop in the number of murders in that city since the early-1980s.

The Guardian Angels have established chapters in London, Tokyo, South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand and most recently in Toronto (after two failed attempts), Vancouver (after one failed attempt), Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton.

While espousing a non-violent approach to crime, two Guardian Angels have been killed while on patrol. One was shot by a police officer in New Jersey in 1981 who thought the Angel was running toward his partner in a hostile manner. Another was shot by a gang member in New York City in 1983.

Three former Angels members were killed while intervening in muggings, and one active member was shot to death in his driveway after publishing the names, photos and addresses of local gang members and drug dealers on his web site.

Public perception of the "law and order" group have led some to believe they are a conservative or right-wing force. The image is supported by the fact that Sliwa hosts a morning radio talk show on New York City's WABC. This radio commitment allows Sliwa travel to Guardian Angels chapters only on weekends.

Paired with "radical left wing attorney" Ron Kuby, the WABC program is a study in political contrast. Kuby was expelled from junior high school for publishing an underground newspaper, and later worked with legendary civil rights lawyer Bill Kuntsler.

Sliwa and his fellow Guardian Angels supporters are quick to disassociate their organisation from the term vigilante.

The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines a vigilante as "a member of a group, who undertakes law enforcement and executes summary justice in the absence or perceived inadequacy of legally constituted law enforcement bodies."

On March 24th, 2007 Curtis Sliwa was in Calgary to oversee the graduation ceremony of that city's Guardian Angels chapter.

"I am back a year later and things have not improved in this downtown corridor. If anything, they have gotten worse," Sliwa told local reporters.

"The problem here in Calgary is certainly not as bad as it is in the Sodom and Gomorrah of Canada, the east end of Vancouver where anything goes. You want to shoot up, smoke drugs, have sex, break into shops? No problem. It's just part of the street culture. But it certainly has started to approach that."

The 2007 class was made up of seven members from Calgary and one Angels member formerly of Toronto.

Scott Sonne, a Toronto chapter member before moving to Calgary in 1990, said crime in the city is escalating. "The city is growing too fast for its own good. There are definitely more victims now to be preyed upon."

To celebrate their graduation, and to provide media a photo opportunity, the Calgary Angels hit the downtown streets. Not unlike combat troops patrolling hostile territory, at stoplights the Angels positioned themselves back to back, looking in all directions to protect themselves.

Unlike his last visit, when Sliwa and another Angel took a crack pipe from a woman's hands and crushed it, Sliwa told the new group those "American tactics" wouldn't be condoned here.

But, if a member sees a glass pipe, "put it down, boots to it, boom, you destroy it," he advised his troop.

The Angels will not be confrontational or belligerent; they will call the police for any criminal activity or violent incidents, Sliwa assured reporters.

Their goal is to deter crime, break up fights and keep the peace, not deal with the social problems that lead people to lives on the streets, he said.

Reaction from Calgary police was swift and unambiguous. Chief Jack Beaton said he was blindsided by the Angels hitting the streets before sharing details of their operations with him.

Beaton said he would have preferred it if the group had arranged to work with police and said until that's done, they won't get his backing.

"I was quite surprised when I read it in the paper and saw it on the news. I'm very disappointed and I'm concerned for their safety and the safety of others," Beaton said.

Beaton said representatives of the group met with police in 2006 to alert them of plans to set up a chapter. But the group has not yet returned a questionnaire police wanted detailing information about how members are trained and how they plan to do business in Calgary.

Calgary chapter leader Greg Martin said it was frustrating to hear the chief's comments, given members have been in touch with a police liaison officer as recently as two weeks prior to the graduation ceremony.

Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier has said he has no problem with volunteer groups offering help to police.

With the Calgary chapter underway, Sliwa headed north to Edmonton the same day to speak at a hastily organised presentation at the Montrose Community Hall, located at 5920 119 Avenue.

Sliwa last visited Edmonton in May 2006. He called parts of the city a “cesspool.”

About two dozen attended the event, including prominent Youth Criminal Justice Act reform activist Gary Hunt, whose 16-year-old son Josh Hunt was stabbed by a young offender at a Mill Woods house party on October 14th, 2006. It was not known if members of the Edmonton Police Service were also at the meeting.

“The main focus was to have people hear directly from Curtis what the Guardian Angels are about,” said David Schroder, the group's Edmonton co-ordinator. The 47-year-old realtor said he felt compelled to join the group after Stefan Conley was beaten and died on an Edmonton Transit bus in 2006.

“Some people attach the label, vigilante. The term vigilante absolutely does not apply. The main rule and the first principle is anti-violence.”

Schroder, who had yet to undergo training himself, said volunteers are carefully screened and interviewed, and must submit to a criminal-record check. The organisation only accepts volunteers who do not have a "recent or serious" criminal record and are not members of a gang or racial hate group.

Trainees must commit to a three-month training program of several hours a week in sessions that cover CPR, first aid, fitness, conflict-resolution skills, criminal code regulations and public relations. Up to 16 local Angel wannabes were expected to graduate by August, more than double Calgary's inaugural class.

"That's because Edmonton has things together before Calgary. The infrastructure has been in place for nearly a year here, and there is a lot of interest. We're ready, and the problems here have not gotten any better," Sliwa said upon arrival at the hall.

“Young men, who are traditionally the most apathetic and difficult group to speak to – because they view us as adversarial – were even asking us when we're going to get started,” Sliwa said. “They say it's become so bad on their gang turf that even elderly women and kids can't be going out at night.”

The Angels said they were ready to organise a chapter in Edmonton with or without the support of the mayor and city police.

Schroder said he intended to contact both the mayor and police chief soon to keep them updated about the plan to establish a presence here. “If they choose to endorse the Guardian Angels, that would be fantastic, but I respect that they might not choose to do that.”

The group was looking for space to use as a training office, likely around the 118th Avenue area. Priorities for their patrols included the downtown area and transit facilities.

“It all hinges on citizens deciding that enough truly is enough, and they want to have a positive impact on the community,” said Schroder.

After the meeting, Sliwa continued his pep talk for the benefit of media cameras.

“It went extremely well,” Sliwa said. “It was great to get a hands-on feel for some of the challenges Edmontonians face fighting crime. People are saying that we're needed here desperately.”

“Young men, who are traditionally the most apathetic and difficult group to speak to – because they view us as adversarial – were even asking us when we're going to get started,” he said. “They say it's become so bad on their gang turf that even elderly women and kids can't be going out at night.”

"We've seen many neighbourhoods that are beginning to experience an increase in crime reach out to Guardian Angels."

"And nobody could doubt – we could set up our headquarters in the York Hotel – right across from police headquarters – where they threw me out the first time I walked in – wouldn't even provide me accommodation – said they wouldn't take my money."

"If we could basically take over the York Hotel, turn that into our headquarters, we would probably eliminate 50% of the problems in Edmonton."

"I'm hoping that with renewed interest here with the graduation of our group in Calgary that we can get a group up and start training by April and then probably a graduation towards the end of July or the beginning of August when you can see the first presence of Guardian Angels in Edmonton."

"It's a good sign that people in Alberta are not willing to tolerate it any longer and if necessary will get involved with the Guardian Angels to try to offest the problem."

"[We're going to] to patrol the downtown areas, some of the neighbourhoods that have been brought to our attention and definitely the transit facilities."

"If you talk to bus drivers who have seen their buses turn into moving crime areas they would welcome the presence of people in pink shower caps, cowboy hats or Guardian Angels."

After the meeting, Sliwa checked out one of Edmonton's problem areas – 118th Avenue.

“On 118th we saw fights, crack deals and prostitution right out in the open,” Sliwa said. “I was shocked. But nearly every person who saw us walking around – even the aboriginal gang members – asked when we were going to set up and help out.”

According to the New York area native, the solution to the drug, prostitution and gang problems along the troubled strip isn't black police uniforms, but rather the red berets and jackets of his group of volunteers. The mere sight of Guardian Angels, Sliwa said, helps deter crime.

“Most of our impact is simply from our presence,” he added.

It was the impact of the arrival the Angels that gave some local public figures the challenge of reluctantly stick-handling their way around the issue of non-sanctioned citizen patrols.

While Edmonton police chief Mike Boyd was not available for comment when the Montrose meeting was held, in May 2006 he said hoped the police service and the Angels could work together.

Mayor Stephen Mandel gave Sliwa a chilly reception in January 2006 when he announced plans to visit the province later in the year. He said at the time the Guardian Angels were not needed or wanted in the city and there was “no need whatsoever” for an Edmonton Guardian Angels chapter.

“We don't want other liaisons interfering with the community policing that we develop in this city,” he said.

A still uncomfortable Mandel spoke to media cameras after being made aware that Sliwa was back in town.

"We'll see what they're doing and how that can work in Edmonton or not work in Edmonton."

"As long as they stay within the boundaries of generally accepted practises in the city, with our police department and the community, we'll hope they'll be a help."

"We have a police department that does a great job and we have great respect for them. If Guardian Angels come and they work in cooperation, consultation with our police department, neighbourhoods they can be of help."

Uncertainty about the role of the Guardian Angels or any other private group was not a problem for Mike Derbyshire, a former police officer now in charge of Edmonton Transit security.

"We don't want people to get involved."

"The reality of the situation is we have trained professionals, whether they be transit security people or the police."

Edmonton Police Association president Staff Sgt. Peter Ratcliff recently said that his organisation wasn't interested.

"We don't need them or anything like them," he said, castigating the group as "over the top vigilantes."

JoAnn McCartney, a former Edmonton police vice cop who now counsels street prostitutes, said she was reserving judgement on the Angels until she learned more about them.

“They are an unknown, I don't know if they will help improve things on the streets of Edmonton,” she said.

“All I can say is that I don't support any form of vigilante justice, so I hope that's not what they are about.”

Much like McCartney, RCMP K Division and Project KARE investigators adopted a wait-and-see approach.

With the Guardian Angels only planning to hit hotspots such as 118th Avenue, RCMP Media Relations Officer Cpl. Wayne A. Oakes said it was difficult to say what, if any, interactions would take place between Project KARE and the Angels.

"We look forward to learning more about this group," stated Oakes, adding at this point they did not believe the Guardian Angels would have a direct role or involvement in matters concerning Project KARE.

In a political climate where the local police force has been regularly tested on issues of accountability, it remained to be seen how the Guardian Angels could best serve the people of Edmonton.

Curtis Clarke, director of the criminal justice program at Athabasca University, said it was important to remember that police are accountable to the community for their actions.

"The Guardian Angels will say they are accountable under the Criminal Code, just like anyone else," said Clarke. "But they don't have the same mechanisms of accountability [as the police do]."

As a group of private individuals, the Angels are not accountable unless one of its members break the law.

It remained to be seen how the Angels would fare in Edmonton. A foreshadow was provided the group's own ambassador.

Sliwa had said in the past that police agencies – such as those in Toronto and Edmonton – have treated him like a "hemorrhoid in a red beret."

For their part, the citizens of Edmonton seemed to have welcomed the arrival of the men in red.

A 630 CHED Radio news poll asked "Do you want the Guardian Angels patrolling Edmonton streets?"

72.29% said Yes; 14.37% said No while 13.32% said "I'll wait to see how they do in Calgary."

There was no indication of how many voted on the one-day voluntary poll which allowed only one response per computer.

An Edmonton Sun news poll asked "Does Edmonton need the Guardian Angels?"

78% voted Yes while 22% voted No.

1334 voted on the one-day voluntary poll which allowed only one response per computer.

For more about the Guardian Angels online, visit the following web sites:

Wikipedia
CBC News Indepth
Guardian Angels official web site
Guardian Angels Canada official web site
CyberAngels internet safety web site
Guardian Angels Discussion Board

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