The city of angels has a lot of ‘Diablo’

It’s no surprise that federal agents would find an armed gangster in MacArthur Park. What is shocking – perhaps – is to learn that he leads the city as an “Ambassador of Peace.”

Michael Angel Alvarez, 41, known as “Diablo,” was arrested for possession of military-grade weapons, which carries a five-year sentence. It’s illegal for most people to own body armor in California — but it’s illegal for people with violent crime convictions.

And “Diablo” fits the bill. He was convicted of murder in 2002 and sentenced to 50 years in prison. He was released after 24 years.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents Council District 1, where MacArthur Park is located, launched the “Ambassadors of Peace” in 2025 as part of her commitment to “rethinking public safety.”

The term “rethinking” was adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement when “police money” was opposed to politics. The idea of ​​the “Ambassador of Peace” is to replace the police with community members who are said to be able to defuse conflicts.

Peace Ambassadors are “unarmed personnel with experience in justice or gang systems and trained in violence prevention and trauma-informed care,” according to Hernandez’s district website.

“They help organize peace marches, vigils, holiday celebrations and community cleanups. These efforts strengthen community relationships and promote healing.”

“Diablo” is part of an organization called “Healing Urban Barrios,” one of the two groups that Hernandez mentioned as part of the Peace Ambassadors program.

The city paid the team $450,000, and “Diablo” earned $58,156 in 2025.

His arrest is Hernandez’s worst case against public safety, which has allowed MacArthur Park to become a cesspool of crime and infamy.

When you close the police force and replace it with convicted murderers, it’s no wonder that society suffers from violent crime, homelessness, drugs and vices.

The arrest is also a testament to the law enforcement efforts, led by U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who are focused on cleaning up the once proud and historic park.

Essayli, along with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, have begun cleaning up MacArthur Park and surrounding streets.

The effort was long overdue — and that also exposed gang networks operating far from the park itself, as far away as the streets of Calabasas’ suburbs.

We need police, not Peace Ambassadors. The City of Angels already has too many “Diablos”.

Download the California Post App, follow us on social media, and sign up for our newsletters