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Law enforcement flock to Waco for gang conference
KXXV-TV ^ | June 19, 2015 | Grant Hermes

Posted on 06/19/2015 10:00:17 AM PDT by don-o

MCLENNAN COUNTY - Law enforcement officials from across the country met at McLennan Community College for four days for a private conference about policing the growth of motorcycle gangs.

The conference, put on by the Midwest Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association out of St. Louis, MO, was scheduled before the Twin Peaks shooting May 17 after investigators saw rising tensions between motorcycle gangs on the rise in Central Texas.

"We do a considerable amount of talking about these confederations and coalitions... and try to make them understand a little bit the motives behind these is other than what they advertise," MOMGIA Executive Director, Steve Cook said.

Cook, who's gone undercover with motorcycle gangs in the past, agreed to allow News Channel 25 to report on the conference, but only until after it was over. This was to protect the identities of officers still undercover.

Behind locked doors, officers learned how motorcycle gangs operate, often dealing in drug and human trafficking. Gangs often transport and sell methamphetamine and have a structure similar to military or para-military organizations. Cook said they've seen an influx of gang members that are also a part of motorcycle clubs and club confederations.

"They're absolutely gangs. If you're wearing a 1-percent diamond and you're associating with the individuals these people and associating with the kinds of activities they are, they're a gang by any classification and to take it a step further, they're organized crime," Cooks said.

Cook said nothing much changed in what the officers were learning in the four day long classes because of the Twin Peaks shooting. He said the shooting is just the latest in a long line of biker gang related incidents across the country.

"It's rampant. They're spreading all across the country, all over the world for that matter...You're either going to pay attention to these guys or you're going to ignore them," Cook said.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: crime; gangs; ironic; irony; policebrutality; sgtpatrickswanton; sgtswanton; texas; texasgatortroll; waco
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I wonder if they did a tutorial on probable cause behind those closed doors.
1 posted on 06/19/2015 10:00:17 AM PDT by don-o
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To: don-o

“We do a considerable amount of talking about these confederations and coalitions... and try to make them understand a little bit the motives behind these is other than what they advertise,”

The Texas Coalition is run by the Bandidos ...

Fill in the blanks:

The California Coalition is run by the _____________.

The Florida Coalition is run by the _____________.

(Hint: Select the dominant MC gang in the state).


2 posted on 06/19/2015 10:04:13 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: don-o; Smokin' Joe

3 posted on 06/19/2015 10:06:30 AM PDT by Salamander (Vested Subhuman)
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To: don-o

Can I just take a moment to LMAO here and now.

Motorcycle gangs? What about the other gangs?

What police departments are using RICO laws to take down gangs in the U. S. today?

Gangs operate at will across this nation and nobody is doing much about it.

Motorcycle gang conference? That’s ripe...


4 posted on 06/19/2015 10:09:19 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: don-o
When you define probable cause--

Riding a motorcycle?

On the highway?

Wearing a vest?

Gotta be a gang member, right???

All they have don killing nine people is establish themselves as the "experts".

Jackboots on parade. (No doubt with a big increase in federal grant money on the way). Ka-CHING!! (Maybe that will offset decreasing budgets with the serious drop in oil and related activity in Texas)

5 posted on 06/19/2015 10:12:54 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: DoughtyOne

That occurred to me too. What about the youth gangs who have laid waste to our cities? What about their ongoing criminal activities?

Why is there seemingly a lack of focus on the street gangs of our major cities??


6 posted on 06/19/2015 10:13:48 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Travis McGee

Ping


7 posted on 06/19/2015 10:18:52 AM PDT by StoneWall Brigade
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To: don-o

Why would a St. Louis, MO association set up a national conference in Waco, TX?


8 posted on 06/19/2015 10:20:02 AM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

It can be done, and it has been done.

About seven years ago a police officer was killed near where I live. It was a gang related death.

It was determined that something would be done about it.

They incorporated RICO statutes and brought in federal agents to work with local law enforcement.

Within a year, they arrested over 100 gang members and essentially destroyed that gang.

Why isn’t it done? I honestly can’t tell you.

That has been a question I can’t answer for a long time now.

It wreaks...


9 posted on 06/19/2015 10:26:13 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: don-o
They're absolutely gangs.

A group of people sharing the same interest - so the bikers are a "gang" and should be treated as such, but the "Midwest Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association" is fine? Perhaps the Bandidos should add "Association" to their name? Would that help?

10 posted on 06/19/2015 10:31:10 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are you going to do about it?)
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To: DoughtyOne

$1,000,000 bonds on 177, of whom 115 have no criminal conviction in the State of Texas.

Wonder if they covered how to make sure you have a tool of a Justice of the Peace ready to violate the 8th Amendment at your command?


11 posted on 06/19/2015 10:31:21 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: Smokin' Joe

“All they have done killing nine people is establish themselves as the “experts”.”

I understand one of the “tutorials” there was “Scope vs. Red Dot, which is better for rapid target acquisition.”


12 posted on 06/19/2015 10:31:31 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: don-o

They are concerned because a lot of bikers have military experience. They want the net cast as wide as they can. They are looking at end-games here.


13 posted on 06/19/2015 10:31:39 AM PDT by zeugma (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3294350/posts)
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To: don-o

How about the “Independent Association of Cossack Motorcyclists”? Better?


14 posted on 06/19/2015 10:31:41 AM PDT by dware (Yeah, so? What are you going to do about it?)
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To: DoughtyOne

May I hazard a guess that the prosecution was based on actual crimes? Or was a big piece of it the type of clothing they wore?


15 posted on 06/19/2015 10:33:19 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

“Why is there seemingly a lack of focus on the street gangs of our major cities??”

Political correctness


16 posted on 06/19/2015 10:35:09 AM PDT by Jay Redhawk
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To: AMDG&BVMH; X-spurt; mac_truck; dware

This dude is WAYYYY OTT!


17 posted on 06/19/2015 10:35:44 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Smokin' Joe

“All they have don killing nine people is establish themselves as the “experts”. “


Nine bikers killed. Nine church goers killed. Does this make the police who did the shooting as guilty as the crazy guy?


18 posted on 06/19/2015 10:38:55 AM PDT by Boomer (America; love it or leave it. It isn't just a bumper sticker.)
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To: TexasGator

Post the name of the lawyer you called a shyster, you slanderer of good FReepers. You lowlife troll.


19 posted on 06/19/2015 10:39:44 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: don-o

Who’s paying for all the travel and hotels and food? The taxpayers?


20 posted on 06/19/2015 10:44:17 AM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi
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