Guardian Angels
Encyclopedia
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 15 countries and 144 cities around the world.
Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City Subway
s. The organization originally trained members to make citizen’s arrests
for violent crimes. Today, they often detain criminals instead of making arrests. The organization patrols the streets and neighborhoods but also provides education programs and workshops for schools and businesses.
publicly opposed the group. Many government officials also opposed the group whenever they attempted to open a chapter in their cities, so did Toronto
Mayor David Miller and Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair
. Over the years the controversy has died down in many cities, and as citizen involvement and outreach has increased, there has been less public opposition to the group by administration officials. Ed Koch later reversed his stance on the organization, and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
have publicly supported the group.
section of midtown Manhattan, except for occasional well-publicized patrols in other areas and subway patrols to recruit new members.
on December 30, 1981. The officer alleged that Melvin was running toward his partner in a hostile manner. The two officers were responding to a call about a commercial burglary. Members on patrol argued that he was approaching the officer to ask if he could help him.
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.
James Richards, a former member and anti-gang activist, was shot and killed near his driveway in Venice, California in October 2000.
s and red jackets or white t-shirts with the red 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; while youth programs for younger applicants are offered. Safety Patrol members are prohibited from carrying weapons and are physically searched before patrolling. They are trained in first aid
and CPR, law, conflict resolution
, communication, and basic martial arts
. Members are paired up and follow the directions of a Patrol Leader. In case their own or other citizens life or health is endangered they are, however, allowed to do whatever is lawful and necessary.
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.
was an early member of the group.
The plan as announced was first to solidify the standards for the organization so that members from around the world could easily interact and patrol effectively together without much re-training. The other goal for the training included an effort towards reducing the liability potential for members and for the organization during their physical interventions of crime deterrence.
In 1992 a New York Times article discusses the lack of training faced by recruits and members of the organization. This project was given to Peter Steeves of the Los Angeles
Chapter, and the result was a free membership site open to the public at GuardianAngelTraining.com
At the 2011 International Conference held in Chicago Illinois USA, Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa signed into effect the Official Guardian Angels primary defensive tactics system. The program was also endorsed by National Director Miguel "3rdRail" Fuentes and International Director, Keiji "Duke" Oda. The Defensive Tactics program is a modular program which was designed to instruct safety patrol members in a variety of domains including; self defense techniques, ground survival, weapons survival and arrest and control tactics. The program was designed by Defensive Tactics Instructor and Chicago safety patrol member Fernan Vargas with imput from Miguel Fuentes. The program, designed by a certified law enforcement defensive tactics instructor, offers appropriate use of force training to safety patrol members based on a law enforcement model. Safety patrol members are taught how to properly place their defensive tactics onto the use of force continuum to ensure appropriate action and minimize liabilty. A website was launched to support the program http://www.GuardianAngelsTraining.org . Travel to spread the training organization wide is one of the goals of the founder. Modules of the Guardian Angels Defensive Tactics Program have been taught to chapter members from Illinois, Indiana, Washington DC, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, St. Loluis, Washington, Virginia, and other states.
, San Francisco, Chicago
, Philadelphia, Boston
, Denver, London
, Toronto
, Dallas, Tokyo
, Houston, Cape Town
, Auckland
, Savannah
, Seattle, and York, (Pennsylvania)
. Recently, the organization has established chapters in smaller cities, such as - the Massachusetts cities of Springfield
and Brockton
; other smaller city chapters recently organized include Sacramento and Stockton, California and Portland, Maine
. In May 2011, a chapter organized in Indianapolis
, Indiana
as well.
The Los Angeles, York and Sacramento Chapters worked with official law enforcement officers and agencies.
Patrols ranged from 20 to as few as 2 Angels, though a minimum of 3 people was the standard. Members were assigned positions and in specific locations of a patrol: the Patrol Leader was at the front, Communications was beside or behind, Runners came next and would usually be the majority of the patrol, along with the 2nd, who was in charge of keeping the patrol organized at the rear. Angels unable to go on patrols typically monitored the CB radio at the headquarters. Thus, a chapter could enlist volunteers who were legally considered handicapped. When a situation required immediate physical action on a patrol, the Patrol Leader would send the Runners under the direction of the 2nd and either send the Communications person (with another Angel) to find a phone and call police, or to radio the situation to Chapter Headquarters to call a P.O.P. officer. When on bicycles, the 2nd and a Runner would leave bikes with the Patrol Leader. Long-distance communications between the parts of a patrol were achieved by specific patterns of blown whistles, of which every member was required to have along with a working pen, pad of paper, and flashlight.
The Sacramento Chapter went freely throughout the entire city and surrounding areas, ranging from North Highlands to the then (1980's) gang-infested Oak Park neighbourhood, then further south into the Meadowview and Pocket Areas. Walking sometimes 10 miles during the course of a 4-hour patrol, Angels even crossed the Sacramento River into neighbouring Yolo County to patrol what was then the communities of Bend and Brite, now incorporated into West Sacramento. The Oak Park patrols went through what was Crips
territory, a gang originating in Los Angeles. The Crips were identified by blue rags hanging from their pockets; their rival gang, the Bloods
, did the same thing but used red rags. Since the uniform of the Guardian Angels is a red and white t-shirt, the Crips at the time considered them enemies while the Bloods saw them as weak fakes of their own gang.
On occasion, the Sacramento Chapter patrols used cars to reach areas that were too far to walk, and several times the Sacramento Chapter was called into service in other cities, helping launch the chapter in Stockton CA. Both helped with special events in San Francisco, such as the Halloween-time Erotic Exotic Ball. They traveled as far away as Los Angeles, where with the local chapter they officially assisted the police with crowd control during the Rose Bowl Parade.
The Guardian Angels were mostly greeted favourably in the city, and sought out by the media to comment upon crime and local issues. Press conferences were held during the tense time before Eric Royce Leonard, dubbed the "Thrill Killer", was arrested in 1991 and during the controversial Sacramento debut of Colors
about the Bloods and Crips. Because of the stance of the Guardian Angels in response to Leonard's murders of three Round Table Pizza employees, the Old Sacramento restaurant offered free dinner for one patrol each and every Saturday and Sunday night.
There were a few attempts to restart the Los Angeles Chapter in 2003 and 2004 with eventual success in 2006. Alex Makarczyk, who previously served in the Los Angeles Chapter in the Mid-1980s, worked to restore the chapter after James Richards, a fellow Guardian Angel was shot to death outside his home on October 18, 2000. He was not on patrol when he was gunned down in the early morning hours, but he was assisting local law enforcement with information about drug-related crime in his neighbourhood.
due to the increase in murder and crime rates. A group in Boston, Massachusetts followed 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
launched a chapter in March 2008 in response to a rise in street violence, and they were quickly able to build a working relationship with the city's police chief. In 2010 they started recruiting in Portland, Oregon
.
In 2007 they started recruiting in Kansas City, Missouri and a chapter was started with 5 local GA graduates in October of 2008. After being told by the National Training Director (3rd Rail from Chicago) that they had to make 3 arrests per month the chapter asked about this new directive and at that time was told they never even had a chapter (even though they had been on local TV many times on patrol and in News reports/interviews). The KC GA Chapter soon disbanded and now patrol their city on their own from vehicles seeking persons of interest and criminal activity.
in 1996. 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 1980s. The Guardian Angels concept faced opposition in Japan, but Oda succeeded in convincing Japanese officials that the organization 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.
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 law requires that people use only "reasonable force" as 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.
Their presence in London was controversial in the first decade of existence, with press articles accusing the group of vigilantism
or attempting to avoid paying for travel on the London Underground
whilst wearing their colours. In 1989, discussion in Parliament raised the possibility of American members of the Guardian Angels being declared persona non grata
owing to their presence being "not conducive to the public good" but this was rejected.
The Manchester Chapter was established around 1991 and ceased operating in 94-95. The Chapter was run by Ian McMahon and then Steven Smith who took over as chapter leader until its closure. The group in Manchester had approximately six active angels.
. Other chapters are in Kuilsriver, Cape Town
, Western Cape
and Potchefstroom
, North West Province
.
chapter was originally formed in 1982 and ran until 1984. A smaller chapter ran briefly in the Parkdale area of Toronto in 1992 - 1993 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. 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.
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.
, 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.
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.
.
A chapter was formed in Canberra, the capital city of Australia, in 2008, but has yet to begin patrolling. Some school and internet safety programs have been conducted.
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.
The 1982 song "Red Angel Dragnet" by The Clash
was inspired by the murder of Frank Melvin, and praises the Guardian Angels for their work.
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.
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.
The Guardian Angels were spoofed in the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
as "The Avenging Angels" but instead with green bomber type jackets.
In the "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City" episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
, Mac and Dee become vigilantes that mimic the Guardian Angels.
In the sketch comedy TV show In Living Color Jim Carey plays "Dickie Peterson, Cherub of Justice," a thinly veiled spoof of the Guardian Angels.
In the Channel 4 comedy sketch show Trigger Happy TV
Dom Joly played a spoof of a Guardian Angel on the London Underground railway service and at a bus stop. The sketch involved Joly pretending to be a Guardian Angel dressed in full regalia who would then stand up and shout out that he was there to protect the public from harm, much to the displeasure and embarrassment of those around him.
In the Ultimatum
episode of The Office, Dwight Schrute
is seen to be secretary of a group wearing red beanies called Knights of the Night which although often compared to the Guardian Angels "could not be more different than them".
In the US version of the video 'Say Something' by the British band James, two Guardian Angels are depicted in their trademark red berets and bomber jackets.
In Batman Begins
Commissioner Loeb discusses people suspected as Batman and the Guardian Angels was on the list of suspects.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa is an American anti-crime activist, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and radio talk show host and media personality.-Guardian Angels:...
and has chapters in 15 countries and 144 cities around the world.
Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
s. The organization originally trained members to make citizen’s arrests
Citizen's arrest
A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval Britain and the English common law, in which sheriffs encouraged ordinary citizens to help apprehend law breakers.Despite the...
for violent crimes. Today, they often detain criminals instead of making arrests. The organization patrols the streets and neighborhoods but also provides education programs and workshops for schools and businesses.
History
In the beginning, New York City Mayor Ed KochEd Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
publicly opposed the group. Many government officials also opposed the group whenever they attempted to open a chapter in their cities, so did Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
Mayor David Miller and Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair
Bill Blair
Bill Blair may refer to:*Bill Blair , British barrister and brother of former Prime Minister, Tony Blair*Bill Blair , Major League Baseball player*Bill Blair , Negro league pitcher...
. Over the years the controversy has died down in many cities, and as citizen involvement and outreach has increased, there has been less public opposition to the group by administration officials. Ed Koch later reversed his stance on the organization, and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
have publicly supported the group.
Controversy on staged rescues
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. 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 RowRestaurant Row (New York City)
Restaurant Row is the name used for West 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. The name is derived from the numerous small restaurants that line the street.-List of restaurants:*B...
section of midtown Manhattan, except for occasional well-publicized patrols in other areas and subway patrols to recruit new members.
Casualties
Frank Melvin was shot and killed by a police officer in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
on December 30, 1981. The officer alleged that Melvin was running toward his partner in a hostile manner. The two officers were responding to a call about a commercial burglary. Members on patrol argued that he was approaching the officer to ask if he could help him.
Juan Oliva was shot by a gang member in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in March 1993 trying to help a woman who was being mugged. He was not in uniform or on patrol either.
James Richards, a former member and anti-gang activist, was shot and killed near his driveway in Venice, California in October 2000.
Rules and 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 beretBeret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
s and red jackets or white t-shirts with the red Guardian Angels logo of an eye inside a shield with wings.
Chapters operate similar to franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
networks supporting one another regionally under standard rules, regulations, and training. The Guardian Angels state that they are an equal opportunity
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
organization that encourages diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
.
The organization accepts volunteers who do not have a recent or serious criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
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; while youth programs for younger applicants are offered. Safety Patrol members are prohibited from carrying weapons and are physically searched before patrolling. They are trained in first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
and CPR, law, conflict resolution
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
, communication, and basic martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
. Members are paired up and follow the directions of a Patrol Leader. In case their own or other citizens life or health is endangered they are, however, allowed to do whatever is lawful and necessary.
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.
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. MacSupport.com founder Tony RicciardiTony Ricciardi
Anthony "Tony" Ricciardi is the co-founder of and in New York City. He was also the Director of NYMUG from 1997-1998....
was an early member of the group.
Training
In 2009 at the 30th Anniversary celebration held in New York City, and then again in 2010 at the World Conference held in San Francisco, CA founder Curtis Sliwa announced the plan to develop an internet-based training for the organization.The plan as announced was first to solidify the standards for the organization so that members from around the world could easily interact and patrol effectively together without much re-training. The other goal for the training included an effort towards reducing the liability potential for members and for the organization during their physical interventions of crime deterrence.
In 1992 a New York Times article discusses the lack of training faced by recruits and members of the organization. This project was given to Peter Steeves of the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Chapter, and the result was a free membership site open to the public at GuardianAngelTraining.com
At the 2011 International Conference held in Chicago Illinois USA, Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa signed into effect the Official Guardian Angels primary defensive tactics system. The program was also endorsed by National Director Miguel "3rdRail" Fuentes and International Director, Keiji "Duke" Oda. The Defensive Tactics program is a modular program which was designed to instruct safety patrol members in a variety of domains including; self defense techniques, ground survival, weapons survival and arrest and control tactics. The program was designed by Defensive Tactics Instructor and Chicago safety patrol member Fernan Vargas with imput from Miguel Fuentes. The program, designed by a certified law enforcement defensive tactics instructor, offers appropriate use of force training to safety patrol members based on a law enforcement model. Safety patrol members are taught how to properly place their defensive tactics onto the use of force continuum to ensure appropriate action and minimize liabilty. A website was launched to support the program http://www.GuardianAngelsTraining.org . Travel to spread the training organization wide is one of the goals of the founder. Modules of the Guardian Angels Defensive Tactics Program have been taught to chapter members from Illinois, Indiana, Washington DC, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, St. Loluis, Washington, Virginia, and other states.
Chapters
The Guardian Angels USA have first established chapters in Washington, D. C., New Orleans, Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, San Francisco, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Philadelphia, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Denver, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Dallas, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Houston, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Seattle, and York, (Pennsylvania)
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. Recently, the organization has established chapters in smaller cities, such as - the Massachusetts cities of Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and Brockton
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
; other smaller city chapters recently organized include Sacramento and Stockton, California and Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. In May 2011, a chapter organized in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
as well.
The Los Angeles, York and Sacramento Chapters worked with official law enforcement officers and agencies.
Sacramento Chapter
The Sacramento Chapter of The Guardian Angels was the 3rd chapter formed in California, following the Los Angeles and San Francisco chapters. At its height, the Chapter consisted of over 50 people ranging in age from 16 to 50 years old. There, the police worked closely with the local chapter and supplied a phone number and a liaison officer for them to use within their P.O.P. (People Orientated Police) division. The chapter headquarters was a rent-free half of a commercial medical duplex for several years. The Sacramento Chapter also featured a "bike patrol" to help provide additional "eyes and ears" along the American River Parkway. Using CB radios, patrols could call back to the headquarters and have the freedom not to depend upon public pay telephones to call the Sacramento Police.Patrols ranged from 20 to as few as 2 Angels, though a minimum of 3 people was the standard. Members were assigned positions and in specific locations of a patrol: the Patrol Leader was at the front, Communications was beside or behind, Runners came next and would usually be the majority of the patrol, along with the 2nd, who was in charge of keeping the patrol organized at the rear. Angels unable to go on patrols typically monitored the CB radio at the headquarters. Thus, a chapter could enlist volunteers who were legally considered handicapped. When a situation required immediate physical action on a patrol, the Patrol Leader would send the Runners under the direction of the 2nd and either send the Communications person (with another Angel) to find a phone and call police, or to radio the situation to Chapter Headquarters to call a P.O.P. officer. When on bicycles, the 2nd and a Runner would leave bikes with the Patrol Leader. Long-distance communications between the parts of a patrol were achieved by specific patterns of blown whistles, of which every member was required to have along with a working pen, pad of paper, and flashlight.
The Sacramento Chapter went freely throughout the entire city and surrounding areas, ranging from North Highlands to the then (1980's) gang-infested Oak Park neighbourhood, then further south into the Meadowview and Pocket Areas. Walking sometimes 10 miles during the course of a 4-hour patrol, Angels even crossed the Sacramento River into neighbouring Yolo County to patrol what was then the communities of Bend and Brite, now incorporated into West Sacramento. The Oak Park patrols went through what was Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
territory, a gang originating in Los Angeles. The Crips were identified by blue rags hanging from their pockets; their rival gang, the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, did the same thing but used red rags. Since the uniform of the Guardian Angels is a red and white t-shirt, the Crips at the time considered them enemies while the Bloods saw them as weak fakes of their own gang.
On occasion, the Sacramento Chapter patrols used cars to reach areas that were too far to walk, and several times the Sacramento Chapter was called into service in other cities, helping launch the chapter in Stockton CA. Both helped with special events in San Francisco, such as the Halloween-time Erotic Exotic Ball. They traveled as far away as Los Angeles, where with the local chapter they officially assisted the police with crowd control during the Rose Bowl Parade.
The Guardian Angels were mostly greeted favourably in the city, and sought out by the media to comment upon crime and local issues. Press conferences were held during the tense time before Eric Royce Leonard, dubbed the "Thrill Killer", was arrested in 1991 and during the controversial Sacramento debut of Colors
Colors (film)
Colors is a 1988 police procedural crime film starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall and directed by Dennis Hopper. The story takes place in South Central Los Angeles, and is about Bob Hodges , an experienced LAPD Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums Police Officer III, and his rookie partner,...
about the Bloods and Crips. Because of the stance of the Guardian Angels in response to Leonard's murders of three Round Table Pizza employees, the Old Sacramento restaurant offered free dinner for one patrol each and every Saturday and Sunday night.
Los Angeles Chapter
The organization's first chapter on the West coast was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California. It grew quickly, reaching its peak in membership in the mid-1980s with 6 sub-chapters and over 250 members. However, membership dropped in the 1990s and by 2000 there was only a single Venice Beach sub-chapter remaining in the city.There were a few attempts to restart the Los Angeles Chapter in 2003 and 2004 with eventual success in 2006. Alex Makarczyk, who previously served in the Los Angeles Chapter in the Mid-1980s, worked to restore the chapter after James Richards, a fellow Guardian Angel was shot to death outside his home on October 18, 2000. He was not on patrol when he was gunned down in the early morning hours, but he was assisting local law enforcement with information about drug-related crime in his neighbourhood.
Other chapters
As of 1993, the Guardian Angels have been active in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
due to the increase in murder and crime rates. A group in Boston, Massachusetts followed 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
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
launched a chapter in March 2008 in response to a rise in street violence, and they were quickly able to build a working relationship with the city's police chief. In 2010 they started recruiting in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
In 2007 they started recruiting in Kansas City, Missouri and a chapter was started with 5 local GA graduates in October of 2008. After being told by the National Training Director (3rd Rail from Chicago) that they had to make 3 arrests per month the chapter asked about this new directive and at that time was told they never even had a chapter (even though they had been on local TV many times on patrol and in News reports/interviews). The KC GA Chapter soon disbanded and now patrol their city on their own from vehicles seeking persons of interest and criminal activity.
Japan
A local organization of the Guardian Angels was formed in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1996. 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 1980s. The Guardian Angels concept faced opposition in Japan, but Oda succeeded in convincing Japanese officials that the organization 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
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
in 2005. The Guardian Angels were the first community organization in Japan to ever be awarded non-profit status.
Four members of the Japanese Guardian Angels appear in an episode of Insomniac with Dave Attell
Insomniac with Dave Attell
Insomniac with Dave Attell was a television show on Comedy Central hosted by comedian Dave Attell which ran from August 5, 2001 until November 11, 2004. In the typical Insomniac, Attell goes through a particular city at night, starting out with a minute or so of his performance at a comedy club and...
filmed in Tokyo. Dave interviews them before their attention is diverted to an (apparently) drunk and disorderly individual.
Israel
A chapter of the Guardian Angels was established in the State of Israel. The Guardian Angels Israel is led by Jill Shames a social activist and martial artist who completed Aliyah, the Jewish Return to Israel. Guardian Angels Israel has completed a few Safety Patrols but primarily works with at risk youth in the Jewish Ethiopian (Falasha) immigrant population.United Kingdom
In London the Guardian Angels have been active since 1989; by 2007 their numbers had dwindled to group of around 12. In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the law requires that people use only "reasonable force" as 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.
Their presence in London was controversial in the first decade of existence, with press articles accusing the group of vigilantism
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
or attempting to avoid paying for travel on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
whilst wearing their colours. In 1989, discussion in Parliament raised the possibility of American members of the Guardian Angels being declared persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
owing to their presence being "not conducive to the public good" but this was rejected.
The Manchester Chapter was established around 1991 and ceased operating in 94-95. The Chapter was run by Ian McMahon and then Steven Smith who took over as chapter leader until its closure. The group in Manchester had approximately six active angels.
South Africa
The Guardian Angels South African Chapter was started by Carl Viljoen in 2004 in Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. Other chapters are in Kuilsriver, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
and Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom, North West
Potchefstroom is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University...
, North West Province
North West (South African province)
North West is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Mafikeng. The province is located to the west of the major population centre of Gauteng.-History:...
.
Canada
A TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
chapter was originally formed in 1982 and ran until 1984. A smaller chapter ran briefly in the Parkdale area of Toronto in 1992 - 1993 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
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. However, both mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
and police chief Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
stated they were not interested in trying what had not worked twice before. 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
Jane Pitfield
Jane Pitfield was a Toronto city councillor, representing one of the two Don Valley West wards. She ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Toronto in 2006.-Personal life:...
expressed her support for the Guardian Angels as did former television anchor Peter Kent
Peter Kent
Peter Kent, PC, MP is a Conservative member of parliament for the riding of Thornhill, and the current Minister of the Environment in the 28th Canadian Ministry.Previously, he was Deputy Editor of Global Television, a Canadian TV network...
and former professional boxer (and now radio talk show host) Spider Jones
Spider Jones
Charles "Spider" Jones is an author, journalist and former boxer. He is a former three-time Golden Glove Champion and was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996. Jones was once voted "Boxing Commentator and M.C...
. 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
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
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
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
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
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
chapter was set up, with the first group finishing its training in March 2007.
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.
New Zealand
In January 2006, the Guardian Angels opened its New Zealand Headquarters in Henderson, a suburb of Waitakere City west of AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, 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
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
Chapter, led by Anna "Kimodo" Cruse. This Chapter's first official Patrol was on the following evening.
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
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
for tax purposes. Their headquarters is the Henderson Returned Services Association Inc. offices on Railside Avenue, Henderson, NZ.
The Philippines
Cybertanod, Role Model Cop and Barangay PeaceKeeping Action Team (BPAT) program of The Philippine National Police are some of the contributions of The Guardian Angels Philippines Chapter in Police organization. Joint Police programs of the Guardian Angels resulted in receiving national awards for officers and local police stations where the Guardian Angels works. The chapter covered Southern Mindanao and recently expand in Northern Luzon. Today, the Philippines Chapter aimed to spread the program in South East Asia region and currently developing independent Citizen Police Organization concept for the region. The local chapter presently gathers supports to host the 1st Joint Police and Guardian Angels Annual International Citizen Safety Patrol as its beyond border initiatives on Guardian Angels violence prevention - Global Public Safety awareness campaign.The effort in South East Asia is under the watch of Mike Zarate as National Director for Philippines.Mexico
In 2007, a chapter formed in Mexico City led by the Canadian professional wrestler VampiroVampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson , better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working as a wrestler and a consultant for Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Hodgkinson is semi-retired and is a member of the citizen crime patrol organization Guardian Angels, acting as...
.
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 of Australia, in 2008, but has yet to begin patrolling. Some school and internet safety programs have been conducted.
Depictions in media and popular culture
The 1981 CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
made-for-TV movie We're Fighting Back, featuring Bronx-born Ellen Barkin
Ellen Barkin
Ellen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
, was based on the Guardian Angels. Angels members signed releases giving Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
permission to depict their lives. In some cases, their brand or identity is used by others.
The 1982 song "Red Angel Dragnet" by The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
was inspired by the murder of Frank Melvin, and praises the Guardian Angels for their work.
While performing in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, Ray Traylor
Ray Traylor
Ray Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
wrestled under the alias "The Guardian Angel" for a short time, complete with an authentic Guardian Angels uniform.
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.
The Guardian Angels were spoofed in the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a 2005 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto series...
as "The Avenging Angels" but instead with green bomber type jackets.
In the "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City" episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
, Mac and Dee become vigilantes that mimic the Guardian Angels.
In the sketch comedy TV show In Living Color Jim Carey plays "Dickie Peterson, Cherub of Justice," a thinly veiled spoof of the Guardian Angels.
In the Channel 4 comedy sketch show Trigger Happy TV
Trigger Happy TV
Trigger Happy TV was a hidden camera/practical joke reality television program. The original British edition of the show, produced by Absolutely Productions, starred Dom Joly and ran for two series on the British television channel Channel 4 from 2000 until 2002...
Dom Joly played a spoof of a Guardian Angel on the London Underground railway service and at a bus stop. The sketch involved Joly pretending to be a Guardian Angel dressed in full regalia who would then stand up and shout out that he was there to protect the public from harm, much to the displeasure and embarrassment of those around him.
In the Ultimatum
Ultimatum (The Office)
"Ultimatum" is the thirteenth episode of the seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 139th episodes overall...
episode of The Office, Dwight Schrute
Dwight Schrute
Dwight Kurt Schrute III is a character on NBC's The Office portrayed by Rainn Wilson. He originally exactly resembled Gareth Keenan from the original UK version of The Office. Dwight is the top salesman and former acting manager for the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and has won numerous awards for...
is seen to be secretary of a group wearing red beanies called Knights of the Night which although often compared to the Guardian Angels "could not be more different than them".
In the US version of the video 'Say Something' by the British band James, two Guardian Angels are depicted in their trademark red berets and bomber jackets.
In Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
Commissioner Loeb discusses people suspected as Batman and the Guardian Angels was on the list of suspects.
External links
- Guardian Angels official website
- CyberAngels official website
- Guardian Angels Japanese chapters
- Guardian Angels NZ website
- Guardian Angels Los Angeles website
- Guardian Angels Canada
- Wisconsin Alliance of Guardian Angels
- Guardian Angels begin standardized, liability-conscious training for all members
- International Training Director joins Faceplant Beta Test Team