A hearing room filled with patch-wearing motorcycle club members broke out in cheers Wednesday as an Arizona Senate committee passed a bill requiring police to take training highlighting a ban on profiling of motorcyclists by law enforcement officers.
The unusual sight at the state Capitol was prompted by a bill attempting to address complaints from motorcycle club members who say they're frequently stopped by police for no legitimate reason. Republican Sen. Judy Burges of Sun City West is the sponsor.
Ken Mei of Phoenix, president of the local chapter of the Peckerwoods Motorcycle Club, said the treatment he and his fellow members receive from police makes it obvious they're being singled out.
"The other day me and a friend of mine were out riding our motorcycles, and we got pulled over by a highway patrolmen, two city (of) Phoenix policemen and a helicopter," Mei said after the hearing ended. "We didn't receive any citations, anything. They basically wanted to know about our patches."
