Guardian Angels Return: New Yorkers Welcome Subway Safety Patrols

[Social Media]

 

The Guardian Angels, led by founder Curtis Sliwa, have returned to patrol New York City's subways, bringing their iconic red berets and anti-crime mission back to the troubled transit system. The renewed efforts come in response to a surge in subway violence and a rising sense of unease among New Yorkers.  

Guardian Angels will re-appear on subways again in response to sky-high crime pic.twitter.com/53lynsOvc6

— New York Post (@nypost) December 29, 2024

 

“It’s good to see y’all back,” Bronx resident Tammy Benson, 60, told Sliwa at the 125th Street station in Harlem, planting a grateful kiss on his cheek. “You and them need to come back. I’m grateful to see it. I feel really blessed when I see [Sliwa].” Another commuter, Natalie Lora, 40, echoed the sentiment: “We need them. It’s that time. We’re happy to see them. If you’re a native New Yorker, then you know.”  

 

Founded in 1979 during a period of rampant subway violence, the Guardian Angels once boasted thousands of members worldwide. Sliwa, a former Republican mayoral candidate, launched the group while working as a night manager at a Bronx McDonald’s. Though the Angels have sporadically returned to the subway over the decades, this marks their first patrol since 2020.  

 

 

The decision to resume patrols followed the horrific arson death of a homeless woman on an F train in Brooklyn earlier this month. This tragedy was part of a troubling pattern of transit violence, with recent attacks including a 48-year-old man slashed in the neck at the West 50th Street station and a 52-year-old man stabbed in the arm at the Myrtle-Wyckoff station.  

 

NYPD statistics reveal a disturbing rise in transit crime. Over the past 28 days, 49 felony assaults were reported in the subway system, a 40% increase from the same period last year. This year, subway murders have reached 10, doubling the number in 2023 and matching the 25-year high of 2022. Between 1997 and 2019, transit homicides rarely exceeded five per year.  

 

 

Other violent incidents have also underscored the urgency of the Angels' return. Hours after the F train arson, a 76-year-old woman was randomly punched on a 6 train at the 51st Street station, and a 27-year-old man was assaulted on the Bleeker Street platform.  

 

“We ride the trains and check every car, making our presence known,” Sliwa explained. “Then we get off and check the really bad stations like here at 125th and Lex. Upstairs is like dope fiend city.”  

 

The Guardian Angels’ new mission has already sparked interest, with 70 people reaching out to volunteer after a recent report on their efforts. Founding member Arnaldo Salinas emphasized that recruits are carefully screened to ensure they are motivated by a genuine desire to help rather than vigilante impulses. “If we get answers like ‘my mom was robbed the other day, and I want to get out there and kick the f–king s–t out of somebody,’ then, no, we can’t use you,” Salinas said.  

 

Meanwhile, New York State has also stepped up efforts to combat subway violence. Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed 1,250 National Guardsmen to patrol 150 transit locations, including major hubs like Grand Central and Times Square. While a spokesperson for Hochul declined to comment on the Angels' patrols, the governor’s office confirmed its commitment to working with the NYPD and City Hall to address the crisis, focusing on removing individuals with mental health issues who pose risks to themselves or others.  

 

As New Yorkers grapple with the resurgence of transit chaos, the return of the Guardian Angels offers a sense of hope and nostalgia. For many, their presence is not just a reminder of the city’s past struggles but a symbol of resilience and community in the face of adversity.

 

Based on a report by NYP 2024-01-02

 

 

 

[jippytum]

As the police in the UK are failing to respond to residential crime like burgulary car theft and shoplifting. Maybe patrols of neighbourhood volunteers may become more of  a reality in the Uk.

With the increase in crime and the demise of police patrols communities may decide to police their own residential areas. to safeguard their property. 

[DeaconJohn]

Curtis Sliwa has been a force for good and common sense in New York City for a long time.

As a young delivery boy for the Daily News he saved several people from a burning building while on his paper route.

In 1992 he survived a mob hit by the Gotti family.

His landslide defeat in the 2021 mayoral election to Eric Adams tells you all you need to know about the NYC electorate.

 

[Watawattana]

This is an absolute disgrace.  No, not the Guardian Angels of course, it's the fact that they feel they need to get back out there.  And that they seem so welcomed by normal New Yorkers.

 

Time for a bit of zero tolerance?  I'm sure the police will be okay with that, but what about the rest of the justice system?  Can it handle it?  I think not.

 

Zero tolerance isn't a new thing in NYC of course, Rudy Giuliani got it going with every positive results.

https://www.nystlegal.com.au/from-little-things/

 

I know a few Brit coppers, and they all would be happy to follow a zero tolerance policy too.  But they know that politically it'll never happen as politicians, prosecutors and the prison system are too weak.

[Yagoda]

NYers...Pocket pistols, like the Kel Tecs and Seecamps and Ruger LCPs fit nicely in a back pocket. Use a leather square folded to prevent printing. Its better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6.

[Woke to Sounds of Horking]

None of these heinous tube crimes woulda happened under Rudy's watch.