PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THE 'REAL' HELLS ANGELS

Kenora's police chief says a little public education would have gone a
long way to prepare the community for last week's Hells Angels gathering.

"If I had to do it again I would have supplied more information to the
community before-hand. We probably should have spent more time
explaining what would happen and what people could expect to see on
their streets. I think it was a surprise to a lot of people to see the
number of police that were here and those in tactical gear," Curtis
says.

"But from the perspective of the number of officers brought in? I
wouldn't change a thing."

Rumblings in coffee shops and on street corners lsast week had more of
an anti-cop tone than anti-biker and Curtis believes it's because
people are naive about what is involved in being a member of an outlaw
motorcycle club like Hells Angels.

"(The Hells Angels) aren't a bunch of good ol' boys who just hang
around on bikes and drink beer. People were glad to see their money
come in to town E well just where do you think the money comes from?"

Police say the Hells Angels control the bulk of North America's drug
trade and they're heavily involved in other for-profit crimes
including prostitution, the illegal weapons trade, racketeering and
extortion. Those who interfere with profits can expect to disappear or
turn up dead.

"We're fully aware of who we're dealing with and our primary
responsibility is the safety of the community, whether they like it or
not. If we didn't have the manpower we did and something happened we
would have been criticized for not being prepared," Curtis says.

No one from the Kenora Police Service or OPP will say exactly how many
police officers came to Kenora for the Hells Angels gathering but a
source says it was well in excess of 100 from all over the country
representing the RCMP, OPP and various municipal police forces who
have members dedicated to monitoring and gathering intelligence on the
gang.

Curtis says police were expecting around 150 Hells Angels and their
associates but only around two-thirds of that number showed up. There
wasn't representation from British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia
that police anticipated.

Now that the entourage of bikes is gone and the trademark death-head
hasn't been seen in a few days many residents feel the Angels
involvement with Kenora is over. That's wishful thinking according to
police.

Since last year when a number of Los Bravos members in Winnipeg and
Thunder Bay were taken under the wing of the Hells Angels, a number of
full-fledged members and hang-arounds have become regular faces here.

"There has definitely been more of a presence here. We have members in
Kenora almost every week. They are actively involved in the drug trade
in Kenora," Curtis says, though none have been charged to date.

Rumours that the Hells Angels are looking to start a chapter here or
buy vacation property are being taken seriously by police.

"We want to make it very clear they're not welcome here," the chief
says. Known members who visit the community often find themselves
tailed relentlessly by officers ready to pounce on any little
infraction. That will continue, assures Curtis.

Both the federal and Ontario governments have taken a stand against
organized crime passing legislation to give police more power to
combat criminal organizations. Curtis is pleased to see the political
pendulum swinging in favor of public safety over the rights of
individuals involved in organized crime.