The first Guardian Angels chapter in Indian Country is starting on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.

Chauncey Whitwright III is starting the chapter because he is tired of crime. He said gangs pose a threat to youth on the reservation.

"There are all kinds of gangs roaming around up here," Whitwright told the Associated Pres. "Our kids are in danger, they're being influenced, they're being targeted. It's going on every day of the week ... and they're busy recruiting."

Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, visited the reservation last year to learn more about the issue. He'll be there again this weekend as the chapter gets going.

"We're dealing with a problem that everybody recognizes, but most folks haven't wanted to try anything different," Sliwa told the AP. "In this case, the Indians said, 'We're going to do it for ourselves.'"

Get the Story:
Guardian Angels Starting First Reservation Chapter (AP 3/26)