Los Vigilantes

Los Vigilantes is a unique civic organization. Its members dress in a uniform that consists of a black western hat, black western-cut trousers, black with blue shoulder and sleeve inserts on western-type shirts, black boots and a white tie.

The original purpose of the organization was to patrol the streets and arrest citizens who did not wear western dress during rodeo time. The culprits were brought before a “hanging judge” and fined for their lack of civic cooperation. Their first tour of duty was in connection with the original Imperial Valley Roundup.

The Imperial Valley Roundup was originally headquartered in El Centro. It moved to Brawley and changed its name to the Brawley Cattle Call, the name it now enjoys.

Following the tour of duty as Vigilantes, who roamed the streets to assure that the natives would wear the correct costumes during the week of the rodeo, it branched out into the field of staging and conducting western parades. From that early start it went on to the entire field of parade staging.

For years Los Vigilantes have cooperated in the staging of the Brawley Cattle Call Parade. This parade, one of the outstanding parades of this type staged in the western United States, has been presented in Brawley for many years. Los Vigilantes, in their attractive uniforms and presence along the parade route, adds materially to the western flavor of the event.

There is a mandatory limit of only 40 “active” members in Los Vigilantes. Because of this provision, there is usually a line of applicants waiting to be processed for entry into the membership. The officers have names that smack of the Old West, as an example: Ramrod, El Segundo, Brand Recorder, Money Bags, Gun Guard and Turnkey. 
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