Why groups like Guardian Angels failed in Detroit

**O3H** · July-14-17, 02:20 PM

Do groups like Curtis Sliwas red beret Guardian Angels have a place in 2017+ cities ?

**Lowell** · July-14-17, 06:26 PM

In a word, no. Movements like that need to be local. During my Highland Park decades, Sliwa came and pitched the HP City Council on bringing the GA to the city. He was a very forceful and likable pitchman with his charming New Yawk accent. The council was excited, ate him up and said welcome.

The GA's were occasionally seen strolling Woodward in pairs with their trademark berets, then less and less, and after three or four months, not at all -- in with a bang gone without a whimper.

I'm surprised to hear they still exist.

**kathy2trips** · July-15-17, 02:23 AM

The "snitch" mentality is an intimidation tactic that has long prevented neighborhoods from protecting themselves. From the Mafia to MS13, it is evil and pervasive. Thankfully, we now have security cameras, and I'm all for them in both public and private locations. Not only are they the most objective witness, but their memory is impeccable and what they record can be used as evidence.

**Zacha341** · July-15-17, 08:53 AM

There are some independent neighborhood security forces now in some better Detroit areas. Such as the seven mile Livernois area for example. They patrol and work as a deterrent, but ultimately DPD has to complete any call for active burglaries etc.

**detroitsgwenivere** · July-15-17, 01:37 PM

I'm sure some neighborhoods would welcome them with open arms. If they showed up in the heavy dope neighborhoods they would either be laughed out or violently removed. It's the berets

**O3H** · July-15-17, 02:35 PM

Human eyes, patrolling neighborhoods, calling suspicious activity, assisting/aiding/supplementing the Detroit Police - versus- cameras that can't do facial recognition, making all look the same with a "hoody" & "jeans"

**kathy2trips** · July-16-17, 06:17 PM

Cameras can't do it all, of course, but they are a major boon to law enforcement. Every little bit helps.

**O3H** · July-17-17, 05:28 PM

I prefer human eyes and intuition that ""somethings up"" calling it in with descriptions, pics shot live on the scene, etc. I'll put my faith in people before technology - because truthfully the tech just doesn't cut it most of the time.

Cheap tech shows "" a body "" and thats about it. Color pic costs extra, high res costs extra, zoom capability costs extra. People cheap and mobile on bikes.

**Oddz313** · July-21-17, 06:37 AM

In 2011 there was a rash of robberies and even a couple shootings at Wayne State and The guardians were there for maybe a month but they didn't have the impact of stepped up Wayne State police patrols. They looked more like a target to me than anything if something was to go down with a firearm

**O3H** · July-21-17, 08:07 PM

People might want to sort the Fact from Fiction and get a dose of reality
-- Most camera equipment does a LOUSEY job of facial recognition --
http://www.experts.com/content/artic...rveillance.pdf

Great camera equipment costs a good deal of money,
and even then it is quite easily beat
by those with some know how.

I still prefer people over video equipment.
People might want to do there own homework,
before they trust the TECH, to catch the criminals......