Sussex Borough welcomes Guardian Angels and hope for downtown

SUSSEX-The message delivered by Curtis Sliwa, founder and head of the Guardian Angels, was simple and old-fashioned: "The concepts of ‘us and we,' not ‘I and me,' which have been handed down from our grandparents, is what we are based on," he said in his graduation address to Sussex County's first Guardian Angels chapter. "If there is a problem that affects the quality of life, it is the citizens' responsibility, as long as it's law-abiding, to protect the community." During the ceremony on Sunday at the Sussex Middle School, which took place on the twenty-sixth anniversary of the founding of the Guardian Angels in the Bronx, Sliwa displayed his continued passion and devotion to his organization, which now has roots in many small towns. "The growth in crime is in cities of less than 100,000 people," he said. "Criminals move to smaller places because they know the local law enforcement can be outlawed. Sussex Borough is the perfect example and similar to other parts of the U.S. where the state police is in charge and cannot always be there." In the most recent crime statistics released by the N.J. Attorney General, Sussex Borough, which disbanded its police force more than a decade ago, has the highest crime rate in Sussex County. The borough is patrolled by the N.J. State Police, who can not have the same presence as a local police force. The Angels hope to provide the daily on-street presence that can deter crime and help resurrect the community. Sliwa said that Sussex, whose population was 2,145 in the 2000 census, is the smallest town in which the Angels have a chapter. The Guardian Angels of Sussex Borough were initiated by Councilman James Ezzo, who is also the chapter leader. Sliwa referred to Ezzo often in his address as "the catalyst and grease in the wheel who was dedicated to making it happen here." Ezzo first contacted Sliwa last October to inquire about establishing a chapter in a small town. A few days later, Sliwa returned the call and visited the borough. With additional support from Mayor Katherine Little and the local government, the process was started. Many residents and local officials showed up on Sunday to show their support for Sussex Borough's latest effort to improve its image and clean up its streets. Sliwa thanked the Mayor as well as Mike Hanifan and Richard Zeoli of the Sussex County Prosecutor's office, who were instrumental in the chapter development. Sliwa referred to the special role of the N.J. State Police who as of Sunday have officially endorsed the chapter. Their participation is critical because they are the law enforcers and will make any arrests based on information given to them by the Angels. "I am confident that this will help us. The Guardian Angels is a good thing and affordable at this time for the borough," said Mayor Little. She went on to congratulate the graduates and encourage them to set a good example for the town. The recent graduates consist of 20 local volunteers - 7 women and 13 men - who started their 12 training sessions of basic American Red Cross CPR and First Aid skills in December. They also learned communication techniques and Guardian Angels standards. "We just want to serve the community and make it safer," said Linda Bianco of Vernon, who, with her husband, joined the Sussex Borough chapter. "I have always watched and followed Curtis," According to the Guardian Angels training manual, the organization is a non-profit volunteer group supported by donations of money, equipment and services from individuals, businesses and churches. The direct purpose of the group is to act as a visual deterrent to crime. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age with no record of felony convictions. "We are totally self-funded, and we had our birthday on Sunday and our birthday present," said Ezzo referring to Lorenzo Maltese, who donated the storefront next to his Main Street pizza shop for the Angles to use as their headquarters. Patrols begin this Friday and Saturday nights from 8-midnight. Eventually, the Angels said, one or two weekday patrols will be added. "Thank you for embracing us and not rejecting us, because in the end it's the good versus the evil," said Sliwa. "And we will prevail by providing a good example to mobilize people to do good."