"Guardian Angels" Watching over New York City
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When there are not enough police officers, civilians take matters into their own hands. The "Guardian Angels", a group fighting against crime, takes to the streets of New York City. NTD's Linda Winn joins them on patrol.
Not every hero wears a cape.
These men are patrolling the streets of New York City to protect residents everyday.
They are called the "Guardian Angels" and their mission is to "safeguard neighborhoods, and cyberspace from bullying, gangs, and violence."
Many New York police officers who retire are not replaced. Since 2001 the number of officers on payroll in New York City has gone down from about 40,000 to 34,000.
The "Guardian Angels" are volunteering to fill the gap.
They have been credited with making thousands of citizens arrests and fiscal interventions.
At their finest hour, they were able to arrest drug dealers.
That was in the mid 80's-- a time when crack cocaine was notorious in the city.
[Curtis Sliwa, "Guardian Angels" Founder]:
"We literally were arresting people and pulling them out of the vestibules of buildings, the foyers of buildings with weight. What I mean by weight is thousands of vials of crack cocaine that they were distributing into the streets because they were the wholesalers feeding the retailers in the street."
One councilman is urging New Yorkers to get involved with the group.
[Peter Vallone, Queens Councilman]:
"When I say get involved I don't mean run up and stop a crime that's in progress. I mean be the eyes and ears of the police department. Get out there and report on conditions that you see whether it be graffiti or something worse. Get out there. If you see a crime, call it in."
The "Guardian Angels" don't just operate in New York.
Linda Nguyen, NTD News, New York.
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When there are not enough police officers, civilians take matters into their own hands. The "Guardian Angels", a group fighting against crime, takes to the streets of New York City. NTD's Linda Winn joins them on patrol.
Not every hero wears a cape.
These men are patrolling the streets of New York City to protect residents everyday.
They are called the "Guardian Angels" and their mission is to "safeguard neighborhoods, and cyberspace from bullying, gangs, and violence."
Many New York police officers who retire are not replaced. Since 2001 the number of officers on payroll in New York City has gone down from about 40,000 to 34,000.
The "Guardian Angels" are volunteering to fill the gap.
They have been credited with making thousands of citizens arrests and fiscal interventions.
At their finest hour, they were able to arrest drug dealers.
That was in the mid 80's-- a time when crack cocaine was notorious in the city.
[Curtis Sliwa, "Guardian Angels" Founder]:
"We literally were arresting people and pulling them out of the vestibules of buildings, the foyers of buildings with weight. What I mean by weight is thousands of vials of crack cocaine that they were distributing into the streets because they were the wholesalers feeding the retailers in the street."
One councilman is urging New Yorkers to get involved with the group.
[Peter Vallone, Queens Councilman]:
"When I say get involved I don't mean run up and stop a crime that's in progress. I mean be the eyes and ears of the police department. Get out there and report on conditions that you see whether it be graffiti or something worse. Get out there. If you see a crime, call it in."
The "Guardian Angels" don't just operate in New York.
Linda Nguyen, NTD News, New York.