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Metro patrol units travel down Nevada Way as the Mongols motorcycle club hold their annual convention in Boulder City Saturday, June 23, 2012.
Monday, June 25, 2012 | 5:44 p.m.
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Boulder City braced for a combination of motorcycle rumblings and police sirens this weekend as the Mongols Motorcycle Club gathered in town for its national meeting.
But for the most part, the city was quiet.
“There were only a handful of arrests, only one involving a Mongol,” Boulder City Police Chief Thomas Finn reported Monday. Thr Mongol-related arrest, one of five arrests throughout the weekend, was for a nonviolent issue — a Mongol who was confronted by police officers and refused to give his correct personal information.
Finn said a dozen or so citations were issued by Boulder City Police officers and their counterparts from Metro Police, who came into town to support local enforcement.
“The number of calls and tickets were slightly less than what we would receive on a typical summer night,” said Finn.
The action in town was far less than what Metro Officer Marcus Martin typically encounters.
“The weekend went peacefully from our perspective,” he said.
The number of officers in town increased throughout the weekend to ensure crime was held in check during the three-day national gathering of the Mongols, whose history has included violent fights with the rival Hells Angels.
“On Thursday night, there were 50 officers, on Friday night there were 100 and on Saturday night there were 150 to 200 officers,” said Finn, who believes this overwhelming amount of police enforcement deterred any serious criminal behavior.
With most Mongols hanging around their hotel or leisurely shopping in Boulder City’s many knick-knack and antique stores, police were left to patrol the roads coming into the town.
Many of the citations issued were to non-Mongol members, like residents speeding through town or tourists on their way to the Hoover Dam.
“We can’t target the Mongols,” said Finn, who was on patrol throughout the weekend.
As smoothly as everything went the past couple of days, there are some in Boulder City who aren’t jumping up and down to invite the rugged group back next year.
“I think (the Mongols) were disappointed with what they couldn’t get away with this weekend. I think they’re going to find somewhere else to go next year,” says Finn. “I hope they don’t come back.”
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Strong police presence to oversee a bunch of 40+ bikers where the biggest infraction was jaywalking and an ID issue???
Yet in North Las Vegas there's just about a daily occurrence of shootings, robbery and vandalism...
Talk about screwed up priorities. Send the posse up there to find the real "gangs"...not the biker "club" guys swilling a few beers at the local bar.
It was the LACK of Hells Angles that kept the peace during this gig...simple as that!
You know what? I was there all weekend. The boys were good. Yeah, they were partying, but they were also picking up after themselves and having a good time. There were minimal damages, no more than you would expect with any large group. They were disappointed they didn't get the chance to spend more money around the city, because the police presence was SO OVER THE TOP, they felt it was too much trouble to leave the hotel. They were getting messed with just for wearing their colors. From my point of view, if the cops hadn't been breathing down their necks the whole time they would have spent a whole lot more money here. They were gentlemen. Yes, they partied... no there was NO violence. It was a fun weekend, that I wish we could have shared with the rest of BC. Too bad the cops felt the need to hassle everyone who left the property - from legitimate employees to bikers who wanted dinner. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. If any BC business wants to know why they didn't make the sales this weekend - look at at Cheif Finn and his East Coast attitude. He totally over-reacted, and made this event less than it could have been for BC. These guys weren't here to cause trouble or wreck our city, they were here because THEY LOVE OUR CITY and wanted to bring us some revenue while they held their event. The event went off without a hitch, but the revenue dropped because they couldn't cross the street to go pass out in other hotel rooms due to the cops hassling EVERYONE involved - from regular workers there to the boys themselves. I felt far less safe because of the police presence than I would have felt otherwise. Good job Chief Finn. Alienate, subjugate, and agitate. Who's really the one causing problems?
As a long time BC resident, I am glad this weekend is over. I am glad that those who came to town came and enjoyed themselves with out major issues or safety problems. That said, here comes the fire...
I appreciated the efforts of collaboration from the law enforcement agencies who came to BC to help prevent anything from happening. Those who said the presence was over bearing would have been the same people to file suit against the city/county/anyone else they could find because they had not done enough to keep things from happening. Had the leaders of BC forseen issues with the visit, the event should have been told to go somewhere else and the hotels cancelled the reservations. If our leaders here in BC had this much of an issue with this visitation before it happened, why wasn't the hotels hosting event told to cancel the reservations for the "safety" of the city and eliminate the entire weekend and the associated concerns? Why weren't the motels that took the reservations for the meeting, that caused the extra police presence, made to pay for the extra costs associated? Guessing that would have had the group going somewhere else. The businesses would have had better deposits this Monday. The public safety budgets would have not had to take a hit.
Other local businesses have had enough grief doing what they need to do to stay profitable, with all of the construction going on in town. These owners then had to suffer losses due to the visitors not willing to spend money or leave their rooms, for fear of issues with the police and the locals too afraid to leave home to spend money. So much for a good weekend for our friends at Little City Grille, Tony's Pizza et al, to name a few.
Then, today, the attorney for the Mongols, files a federal civil rights suit against Metro and NLV for their treatment of the biker groups. I guess we should be glad BC was not attached to this suit. Was the motivation for their attorney to help them with the BC trip a tool to allow said groups to attache BC to the lawsuit, and try to raid BC's city coffers as well?
This whole endeavor made me long for the days when the city leaders were so much more protectionist toward the well being of Boulder City, its residents, its businesses, and its image. Longing for the day when Boulder City can flourish, despite the little internal skirmishes, despite our differences. In the meanwhile, go spend some money at the businesses that you frequent. Go spend some money at the ones you don't yet frequent. Go spend some money at the ones you avoided this weekend and explain to them why you skipped out on them. Some of these businesses deserve an opportunity to explain why they thought this weekend would knowingly be so good for them and so bad for others and the town.
Just the way I see things...I could be wrong...
As the Gestapo suppressed the Jewish threat --
Metro diminishes the Mongol threat --
Capitalizing upon unfound fear has always been an enemy of social liberty.
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I for one am glad there gone, and are my neighbors. We spent the weekend in the beautiful town of Mule Lick Nevada, playing with our radiation detectors and enjoying the luminous lizards
The Mongol's quiet presence can definitely be tied to today's announced law suit. Mongol's were razor sharp. Nevada law enforcement stupid. Nevada taxpayers are going to pay dearly.
I think Tom Finn and his staff did a great job of making sure everyone was safe including the Mongols themselves. If there would have been a problem like in Laughlin, all you morons would have been bitchin' that Boulder City didn't do enough to protect it's people. Granted the Hell's Angels had the most to do with that issue, but all these people have baggage they bring with them. Everyone I talked to appreciated their respect, their business, the fact they were good tippers, and the money they spent. Nobody will ever agree on the proper balance of power. As for the lawsuit, Steven Stubbs is a Boulder City attorney. I doubt even he isn't that stupid to name BC in the lawsuit, although he did get cited for jaywalking.