Guardian Angels Watching Edmonton

[Johnny Utah]

The Edmonton Journal.com
May 08, 2006
Excerpt:
EDMONTON - The American crime-fighting group the Guardian Angels received a tepid reception during its first foray into Edmonton on Sunday.

Curtis Sliwa, who founded the controversial group in the Bronx 27 years ago, strolled along 96th Street with two other members, all wearing the group's distinctive red berets and red jackets.

"Go back home, we don't need you," a drinker yelled at Sliwa at the Angels news conference outside at the corner of 96th Street and 102nd Avenue.

But a man driving a car down the street, and the hotel desk clerk behind a protective cage in the lobby of the York Hotel, both told Sliwa he was welcome.

"It is nice to see you guys here. I hope you set up shop here," the car driver said.

Before he stepped out of his car, Sliwa's offer of help was being brushed aside by both police Chief Mike Boyd and Mayor Stephen Mandel.

"I don't believe that we need the Guardian Angels here at all," Boyd said. "I think that Edmonton, the police and the community working together is the way that we should do it, and I think it's a far more co-ordinated approach to addressing public safety in the streets."

Mandel agreed there's "no need whatsoever" for an Edmonton Guardian Angels chapter.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourn...=4b20a56a-54f4-4743-924b-6dd6cd991260&k=72033
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The Guardian Angels in Edmonton? I don't think so. The Guardian Angels really don't need to be in Edmonton or perhaps even Calgary. They served a purpose in New York City afterall it's the World's largest City which had one of the World's highest crime rates for a city at the time..

In Edmonton there are already community watch groups that work along side the police where the Guardian Angels are not needed. Didn't the Guardian Angels also try to gain a foothold in Toronto?

 

[LittleRunningGag]

RE: Guardian Angels Watch

The problem with large organizations like this is that once they fix the reason they were created for in the first place, they need to find new direction. Just look at MADD. They are definately not the group they started out as.

As for the GAs, I would imagine that the part of Canada most likely to be supportive of this kind of group would be Alberta. Conservatives are all about enforcing crime.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Re: RE: Guardian Angels Watch

The problem with large organizations like this is that once they fix the reason they were created for in the first place, they need to find new direction. Just look at MADD. They are definately not the group they started out as.

As for the GAs, I would imagine that the part of Canada most likely to be supportive of this kind of group would be Alberta. Conservatives are all about enforcing crime.

You're point about large organizations is very true and could apply to many. I donn't think the need for a group like the Guardian Angels in Edmonton is really needed, they would perhaps serve better in a city like Vancouver..

 

[Jersay]

Actually, I don't think it is Calgary or Edmonton but it is a western city, that if it had the population of Toronto it would have a murder rate three times as high as the last Toronto rate which was a lot.

So I agree about what you say about the larger organizations but it wouldn't hurt if the Guardian Angels were in the cities if they wanted it.

 

[Alberta'sfinest]

RE: Guardian Angels Watch

That's just weird. I was just reading this and it came on the news at the same time.
I don't like groups like this. Citizens should just report the crimes they see, then these people would have no purpose. They're like mall security gaurds who think they're cops. The problems with these groups is that they are putting themselves in harms way for no real reason. Just short while ago an undercover cop approached some teens dealing drugs and ended up getting shot. If people want to crack down on crime, become a cop. There is a massive shortage of recruits, but no shortage of complaints about crime. You know what they say, stand up or shut up.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Re: RE: Guardian Angels Watch

That's just weird. I was just reading this and it came on the news at the same time.
I don't like groups like this. Citizens should just report the crimes they see, then these people would have no purpose. They're like mall security gaurds who think they're cops. The problems with these groups is that they are putting themselves in harms way for no real reason. Just short while ago an undercover cop approached some teens dealing drugs and ended up getting shot. If people want to crack down on crime, become a cop. There is a massive shortage of recruits, but no shortage of complaints about crime. You know what they say, stand up or shut up.

The people who want the Guardian Angels are just to dam lazy to do anything about their own community so they want the burden to be put on someone else's shoulders such as The Guardian Angels..

The counter answer to them would be more police on the streets..