Guardian Angels to descend on Albuquerque
Group known for public safety patrols to start local chapter
In the 1980s and ’90s, New York City found itself in the midst of an intense crime wave.
In 1990 alone, there were 2,245 murders. Then, as if in a real-life comic strip, a group of men led by a McDonald’s manager banded together to do what they could to fight crime. The group was called the Guardian Angels; you may remember them by their signature red track jackets and matching berets.
“I’m from New York and I used to feel so good when I’d see a Guardian Angel get on the subway,” said Albuquerque resident Niki Maxwell.
Though crime in New York City is now the lowest it’s been since the 1950s, Guardian Angels still walk the streets and ride the subways there and in hundreds of cities around the globe.
The next city to be placed under the protection of the Angels is Albuquerque, where members of the Baltimore chapter led an informational meeting Saturday for those interested in joining, which included Maxwell and her husband, Dale.
“The perception of what we do is that we’re almost like superheroes,” said Jissel “Jazz” Baggan, the Baltimore chapter commander. “But you go in and meet these people and they’re just regular, ordinary people who work 9-to-5 jobs who have families. They just really care about making a difference and helping people.”
The Angels are known for their patrols, but also have a variety of other public safety programs.
The group came to Albuquerque at the behest of three separate residents — who started out as strangers – who felt the program might do some good in the city, where a high crime rate is exacerbated by a shortage of law enforcement.
Jody Kirk, who reached out to the Guardian Angels in October for information about starting a chapter, said he and his wife were considering moving out of Albuquerque due to the crime rate.
“I told my missus, if we’re staying, then I’ve got to do something about this,” said Kirk, who has worked as a security guard.
The other two community members, Donna Thomas and George Walker, lived in New York City during the ’80s and remembered when the Guardian Angels began patrolling.
“I know the Guardian Angels cleaned up New York,” said Walker, a former special agent with the FBI. “They’re the eyes and the ears of the police.”
Albuquerque Police Department Deputy Chief Rogelio “Roger” Bañez sat in on the meeting and said those extra eyes and ears could be extremely helpful to the department, which currently has around 850 officers serving a population of 800,000.
He said neighborhood watch groups across the city are helpful, but there are still “gaps” throughout the city not monitored by those groups.
“That’s the biggest thing the city of Albuquerque needs, is more involvement from the neighborhood,” Bañez said.