The Guardian Angels attended a closed door meeting with Hartford's mayor and police chief to discuss the idea of the group patrolling city streets.
After the hour-long meeting at City Hall, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa said he still hoped to have a chapter in Hartford, but acknowledged it will depend on whether there is enough community support. "I see a need, personally, but that doesn't mean that a group gets started," said Sliwa.
The Guardian Angels began receiving phone calls and emails about four weeks ago from concerned Hartford citizens seeking a chapter to help fight crime, said Sliwa. On Sunday, Sliwa and other members toured the north end to help build support for their cause. If they open a chapter here, they'll be looking to train about 20 local residents for citizen patrols and the training will take three months, said Sliwa.
Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and Police Chief Daryl Roberts both said they're open to the idea, but also pointed out there are groups already in Hartford like the Men of Color that offer a similar service. Both suggested the Guardian Angels talk to those organizations before deciding if they open a chapter. "Public safety is our first priority. We don't want to duplicate the efforts, but at the same time we're open to anything that's going to make our city safer," said Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts.
Sliwa said he's open to talking to grassroots organizations. He's also planning to be back on Sunday for another meet and greet with local residents.
"We only patrol areas that we've been invited into," said Sliwa. "We don't go into areas where either people haven't come up with a consensus or they've found that there's no need for us."
