2014 Texas Gang Threat Assessment
I have been unable to find a 2015 version.
The Bandidos had a "middle of the pack" rating as to threat. Maybe Texas has had better success in actually ARRESTING those in higher ranked gangs for actually breaking the law.
From my own biker grapevine that includes someone very close to me who is connected to the true criminal bad-ass Hells Angel-type biker culture and has been for many decades, the Bandidos includes some seriously bad dudes (kidnapping, child selling, meth, extortion/"protection") that the cops should be catching and getting off the streets.
The Cossacks, however -- ALL I've been able to learn for sure is that some people in law enforcement accuse the Cossacks of being affiliated with the Hell's Angels, and the Bandidos have harassed and attacked Cossacks just for being Cossacks -- ANY trouble connected with Cossacks that is remotely verifiable is that they have RESPONDED to being provoked by Bandidos, either retaliation or just self-defense. Cossacks are a tailor-made fictional "criminal gang" easy to demonize and cast as the co-villain in this charade. I'll bet a lot of Cossacks are sitting amazed that they are such a bunch of professional sophisticated criminals as they're being portrayed on national media.
As for the utility of fellowship clubs of Harley riders -- I may not approve, I may think a real man shouldn't need that kind of "club" mentality to belong in the world, but I also know that a HORRIFIC number of boys are raised with no fathers, no men, no male structure or loyalty or honor, and the clubs PROVIDE it. If they are involved in criminal enterprises along the way, then it is the POLICEMAN's job to catch them as individual criminals. That is the cop's job, to catch them in the act.
But these cops want to just arrest anyone who seeks the fellowship of a Harley club, and define such membership as "criminal." Such cops are either too lazy or too incompetent to actually catch criminals doing criminal acts.
“The Bandidos had a “middle of the pack” rating as to threat.”
I take that as an effort by you to suggest the Bandidos aren’t that much trouble - merely “middle of the pack.”
Yet their ranking places them in Tier 2, with Crips, Bloods, MS13, etc.
Most folks in most towns would want their police to keep such criminals out of town if possible, or watch them very closely if they came into town.
Many organized crime syndicates, whether Mafia, black, Hispanic or motorcycle types, use willing newcomers without records, to “front” as part of their entry requirements.