HERO PROFILE #11: Dark Guardian

Operates out of: New York City

Team affiliation: New York Initiative (NYI)

Activities: Patrols, crime deterrence, homeless hand outs

Author's note: A founding figure of the modern RLSH movement, Dark Guardian has been patrolling the streets of various New York City boroughs for years. You can read more about him in a couple chapters of my book, Heroes in the Night.

Most recently, DG's been patrolling an area of Harlem with other members of his team where a transgender woman was beaten to death.

Here's a recent video message from DG:

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HEROES IN THE NIGHT, available  at IPG///BARNES & NOBLE///AMAZON///POWELL'S///INDIEBOUND
Add us on:
GOODREADS///FACEBOOK

NYI: Trial by Mud

Mud champs: L-R, Snipe, Zero, Short Cut after the sparring session.

ALSO- CALIFORNIA INITIATIVE OPENS AS THIRD INITIATIVE BRANCH

New York Initiative members Zero, Short Cut, Snipe, Lock, Adro and Thre3 had a sparring session slated recently and rather than let the rain deter them, they drew a circle in the mud and began to spar.

Towards the end of the four hour session, after they "had beaten the tar out of each other," says Zero, and Snipe caught some photos of the grappling challenge.

Lock, left, and Short Cut throw down

"It poured all day, it was incredible," says Zero."The pictures don't even do this day justice- the smell of the rain, the white, foggy atmosphere, the feel of the mud between our toes."

The NYI was featured in the recently aired HBO documentary Superheroes and since then has had a mass number of people asking to sign onto the team. Zero explained to Heroes in the Night that the team is in the process of interviewing these prospects. "We're being extremely selective and imposing some specific rules for recruitment, plus a preliminary evaluation," He says.

Zero, left, grapples with Adro

It was also revealed that the third branch of the Initiative, the California Initiative (CAI) is now open and being ran by Bay area couple Night Bug and Rock N Roll. Heroes in the Night got a chance to meet these two at HOPE 2011. We also previously reported on Virginia Initiative(VAI)operated by Death's Head Moth and Ira Ui'Raghallaigh HERE.

All three groups are working on recruitment and training.

Night Bug (far left) and Rock N. Roll (far right) of the CAI with Good Samaritan, a RLSH from the LA area

Rock N. Roll in action leading a free women's self defense class

NYI REACTS TO LONG ISLAND KILLER

NEW YORK INITIATIVE POSTS MESSAGE TO POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF LONG ISLAND SERIAL KILLER

In December a story slowly started to unravel after four body remains were found hidden in the woods near the beaches of Long Island. The discovery of more remains (up to nine total), some identified as prostitutes, led to a gruesome reality- a serial killer, commonly known as the Long Island Killer is at large and murdering prostitutes.

The New York Initiative is a group that focuses on crime fighting and community outreach and I've been following what they've been up to for some time. I wrote an article on the group in July 2010 and wrote a brief update on the group in an entry last month (HERE).

In reaction to the Long Island Killer, the NYI posted a message on Craigslist (the same channel the killer found his victims on) addressed to prostitutes, offering protection and safety techniques. The original, unedited message follows...

To all Ladies: Free Protection and Safety System, (Long Island Killer) - m4w - 29 (NYC)
Date: 2011-04-16, 3:48PM EDT

Hello, pretty lady!

I’m writing you on behalf of a group called the New York Initiative (We are not affiliated with law enforcement), and with the hopes that I’ve created a system that will help keep you safe when you go on dates! You can find our facebook page through Google, as well as Google us with the words New York Press or Superheroes Documentary 2011 to find out what we’re about (Craigslist doesn't allow me to post our URL)…yes, we look a little funny, but believe me when I say that we are all quite competent and capable of doing the things we say.

So with that out of the way, let me just get down to business… The Long Island Killer is out there. He’s a scary bastard, and it’s starting to seem like he is focusing on you pretty ladies because some people are slower to report you missing, and also because apparently the law doesn’t respect your personal choices and that means cops are slower to follow through when it comes to you. Well, I’m here to say FUCK THAT. We respect you as human beings, we believe in personal freedoms and think that you’re doing something that is absolutely your choice to do.

So rock on, ladies…We are on your side. With that said, we are here to help.

In lieu of this, I have devised two systems that will keep you safe… both law-enforcement free, but one meant specifically for you to do on your own, with a friend, and the other which offers our very distinct and unusual services (free of charge, of course).

OPTION 1: Whenever you have a date, make sure a friend knows the address you’re going. Have them write it down in a book made specifically for this purpose, with the times and dates included. If you can, when on the date, text your friend with the address you are at or the general area in case your date takes you somewhere else than he had earlier specified , and let your date know that a friend knows exactly where you’ll be if he starts to get “funny”.
Give your friend hourly updates on your location so if anything goes wrong, they can send someone to help you faster. We realize that this could alter the mood of your date, but in these crazy times, a pretty lady that’s ready is a pretty lady that’s alive. If your date watches the news at all, he will understand. Be wary if he doesn’t.

OPTION 2.If you absolutely don’t have a friend to help you with this, you may use the services of the New York Initiative as your personal log book, as well as your rescue team in the event of an emergency. If you choose to do this, we will provide you with a number to call and a few one-number or one word codes you can say or text to us so that we can contact someone to assist you with a possibly violent date. Another idea is keeping us on speed dial, and if things get weird just call us and let the line open. We’ll know what’s going on immediately.

We also have other techniques which we can explain to you after confirmation via phone.

We will react quickly and without hesitation every time, using our considerable contacts to the full extent of their reach.

We also want to extend to you our services as the NYI: Namely, practical martial arts training free of charge, as well as improvised weapons training free of charge (i.e. pens, phones, keys)…Add to this basic to advanced survival skills, or pretty much anything else you want to know about that will keep you safe out there.

We care about you. We want you alive, in this world, just like everyone else. Because you’re a human being, and you are deserving of love. The NYI loves you, and we’re here to bust the asses of any asshole trying to hurt you.

This is just one of the ways we can get the Long Island Killer off the streets, as well as make what you do safer.

Let me say one more time that we won’t involve law enforcement unless you are in serious danger. The logs will be kept personal and private, because what do the police need to know about your personal life, right? It’s just a date, for cryin’ out loud.

Be safe out there, whatever you choose. You are no longer alone.

-Zero and the New York Initiative

P.S. If you have any other ideas that we can help with to keep you safe out there, don’t be afraid to ask!