Crime prevention activist and former New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is bringing his iconic public safety organization, the Guardian Angels, back to the city’s subways. This marks the first time since 2020 that the volunteer group will patrol the underground transit system, a move prompted by increasing concerns over safety, particularly following a recent violent incident.
The Guardian Angels were founded by Sliwa in 1979 as a volunteer group dedicated to fighting crime and protecting subway riders from violent or disruptive behavior. The group’s return to the subway comes after the tragic arson murder of a sleeping passenger at the Stillwell Avenue-Coney Island subway station just days before Christmas at the hands of an illegal immigrant. The horrific incident, in which an unidentified woman was burned to death, is the latest in a series of violent events that have sparked concern over the safety of New Yorkers using public transportation.
“We’re going to have to increase our numbers, increase the training and increase our presence as we did back in 1979,” Sliwa said at a press event at the site of the tragedy. “We went from 13 to 1,000 [members] back then within a period of a year, because the need was there. The need is here now once again. We’re going to step up.”
Sliwa’s decision to relaunch Guardian Angels patrols comes amid growing frustrations over what he describes as the “Daniel Penny effect,” a reference to the case of Marine veteran Daniel Penny, who faced prosecution after putting a homeless man, Jordan Neely, in a chokehold on a subway train in 2023. Neely, who had been threatening other passengers, died following the altercation, sparking public debate about self-defense, civilian intervention, and the responsibility of bystanders in dangerous situations.
Sliwa believes that incidents like the one involving Daniel Penny have made civilians more hesitant to intervene in violent or chaotic situations on the subway. “Citizens won’t do that because unfortunately, the Daniel Penny effect has frozen them,” Sliwa said, noting that people who might have previously stepped in to help are now holding back out of fear of legal repercussions.
As the Guardian Angels re-enter the subway system, Sliwa emphasized the group’s goal of creating a visible presence while working collaboratively with police officers to address safety concerns. His strategy involves volunteers patrolling subway cars, observing platforms at each stop, and intervening when necessary. “If they are homeless or if they are emotionally disturbed, we check to see if they’re okay,” Sliwa explained. “We train. This is what we do. We know how to do it.”
The return of the Guardian Angels has sparked mixed reactions. On social media, many users expressed nostalgia for the group’s presence in the 1980s and 1990s, when they were a common sight in subway stations and helped foster a sense of security among commuters. “I grew up with the Guardian Angels in the subways, and it’s great to see them back,” one user commented.
The mayor’s office highlighted the steps Adams has already taken to address subway crime, including surging 1,000 additional police officers per day into the transit system. According to Mamalek, crime has been reduced, and real action is being taken to ensure safety for all New Yorkers. “The mayor knows there’s still more work to be done,” she added, dismissing Sliwa’s return as a form of “theatrics.”
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