Angels' Night volunteers protecting their streets

BY CECIL ANGEL AND BEN SCHMITT
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

Two nights down, and one to go. TIPS FOR A SAFE TRICK-OR-TREATING
Clothes should be bright, reflective and flame retardant. Hems should be short enough to prevent tripping.

Don't wear floppy hats or wigs that could slide over eyes.

Wear face paint instead of masks that might make it difficult to see.

Stay on sidewalks and cross the street at corners.

Carry a flashlight.

Avoid toy weapons.

Stay away from pets while in costume.

A parent or guardian should accompany children past curfew. Curfew for 15 years and younger is 8 p.m. ; for 16- and 17-year-olds it is 11 p.m.

Turn on porch lights from dusk to dawn.

Adopt a vacant house in your neighborhood.

Motorists should drive slowly and watch for children.
Parents can have those Halloween treats screened free of charge at St. John's Hospital NorthEast, 4777 E. Outer Drive, Detroit. Use the emergency entrance off Conner. Source: Detroit Police Department

Thousands of Angels' Night volunteers slid into cars, vans and SUVs and hit Detroit streets for a second night of the anti-arson campaign.

Albert Narvaez and Robert White drove a 1986 Suburban, with an aluminum bat nestled between the seats, down Vernor in southwest Detroit.

"We love our neighborhoods, and we were raised here," said Narvaez, 44. "Like anywhere you go in the world, you run into a few idiots. We don't want any idiots burning our city down."

Why the baseball bat?

"You never know what might happen," said White, 42. "You got to protect yourself."

Narvaez interjected: "Not to hurt anybody."

Armed with a yellow light on top of the Suburban and a CB radio they got from a neighborhood city hall, they planned to keep the streets safe.

Back at the Southwest Detroit Neighborhood City Hall on Vernor, more than 180 residents turned out to volunteer for foot and auto patrols by 9 p.m. Local restaurants donated heaps of food, and other businesses donated money for $5 gas vouchers.

Volunteers lined up to have copies of their driver's licenses made in exchange for yellow lights and the CB radios.

Janie Sanchez-Solano, manager of the city hall, said the volunteer efforts get better each year.

"This is wonderful," she said. "This is what community is all about. People are having a good time. We'll keep raising the bar."

Robert Ealy, a 52-year-old Detroiter, patrolled southwest Detroit -- his fourth year volunteering -- and said he was thrilled with the tranquillity of the streets at 8 p.m.

"I have yet to see even one fire," said Ealy, as he drove down Roosevelt, just north of Michigan Avenue. "This is my home, and it's important. I was sick of the national media coming here to watch our city burn every year."

At St. Suzanne School at Chicago and Westwood, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was out a second night, swathing volunteers in thanks and encouragement.

Thursday night sounded a lot like the night before.

Police said there were 27 fires Wednesday -- far fewer than on an average day -- and only one juvenile curfew arrest.

"It's going great. It's silent. It's a great sound," Kilpatrick beamed as he described the night thus far. "It's been a great evening."

As he moved down a hallway, he shook hands with Vincent Woods and Ronald Walker. The men were waiting for one of the flashing yellow lights to let people know they are a part of the Angels' Night patrol.

"There's a lot of burned up houses around my area," said Woods, 18, a recent Cody High School graduate who is now a barber. "It's a great thing to prevent a lot of problems."

As of 9 p.m. Thursday, Detroit police reported that 17 youths were arrested for curfew violations, and there were 22 fires. There were 110 fires in 2002 during the 3-day Angels' Night period.