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A Citizen’s Guide to Recording the Police

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First Amendment Protections for Journalists and Bystanders By the team at First Amendment Watch Sixty-one percent of the U.S. population lives in states where federal appeals courts have recognized a First Amendment right to record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue. As a result, legal protections are fully secure only in those jurisdictions where federal circuits have issued a ruling. However, given the resounding support so far for this First Amendment protection, it seems highly likely that the remaining federal appeal courts would reach the same conclusion if the issue appears on their docket. CLICK HERE TO READ THIS IMPORTANT ARTICLE ON BIKERNET Quick, Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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MMA & Princeton PD Team Up for Voluntary Sound Check

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Your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association is teaming up with the Princeton Police Department to conduct a Voluntary Motorcycle Sound Emissions Check at the Thomas Prince School on Route 62 in Princeton, Massachusetts on July 11, 2020 beginning at 11 AM. This is a “no enforcement” and no cost awareness event aimed at educating riders and the public regarding the realities and implications of Motorcycle Exhaust emissions, specifically regarding sound levels. On Tuesday, June 9, your Massachusetts Motorcycle Association was invited to participate in the Princeton Select Board meeting to address growing and continuing concerns among Residents concerning the problems of Motorcycle Sound Emissions and reckless riding in and around the town of Princeton. Alerted by a MassMotorcycle member to the concerns, numerous potential approaches to tackling what is perceived as an invasion of residents rights to a safe and peaceful weekend were being discussed including Motorcycle Original Equipment Exhaust Enforcement, Traffic Restrictions for Motorcyclists, and other options. Your MassMotorcycle Association immediately contacted the Chief of Police, Michele Powers, to discuss the concerns and approaches. Chief Powers in turn discussed the MassMotorcycle feedback with the Select Board resulting in the invitation to speak with the Select Board at the June 9th Meeting. In 2009, in response to similar concerns at the time and numerous town warrants and Legislative Bills aimed at addressing the issue, your MassMotorcycle Association created the “When in Town, Throttle Down!©” program to address a wealth of misinformation concerning Motorcycle Exhaust and Sound Issues, specifically aimed at education and awareness of “What’s the Noise about Noise?” The resulting program included a Voluntary Sound Check program, including investing in Sound Testing Equipment and Training. This program has been used with great affect around the Commonwealth in the following 11 years and the “noise” has significantly quieted down since. This program

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Black and Red 1947 Harley-Davidson WL Police Bike Is What Bad Guys Feared

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Police departments were never slow in adopting emerging technologies. Given the nature of their work, these organizations had to adapt and use hardware that, if not more advanced than the one used by bad guys, and least on par with it. And motorcycles are no exception. In the U.S. one of the preferred suppliers of motorcycles for the police force is Harley-Davidson. The company has been providing bikes for the force since the first years of the 20th century, when the Detroit PD was the first to commission and use the Harleys of that time. As you might imagine, at the time there were no police packages for bikes and not even cars for that matter, so these early police bikes were nothing more than civilian models with PD logos here and there. That would change starting with the 1920s, when the fight against the villains of the era intensifies. Things like sirens and lights start being fitted on Harleys as they chase down bad guys, but it was not until the end of World War II that police Harleys would become norm. That is all owed to the Army-specced WLA model, a no-nonsense machine based on the civilian version that was known at the time as the WL. The way in which the WLA handled itself during the war made police departments look to the WL with new interest. The motorcycle you see in the gallery above is one of post-war police WLs, and is currently on the list of vehicles on sale during the Mecum Eddie Vannoy Collection sale in June. We’re not being told what police department it served back in its glory days, but we do know it comes with the customary siren and lights. The bike as seen above is

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1949 Harley-Davidson Police Servi-Car Let Officers Ride and Shoot

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Ever since before the start of the second world war, at a time when the world was fighting for its survival during what became known as the Great Depression, and well into the 1970s, the American motorcycle landscape was dominated by a three-wheeled contraption called the Servi-Car. Produced by Harley-Davidson from 1932 to 1974, the Servi-Car is the forefather of the current Tri Glide Ultra and the Freewheeler trikes, but despite being made in great numbers, they’re not so easy to come by in current times. From time to time, such machines do pop up on auction sites and elsewhere, but generally they come in the form of custom builds that kind of ruin the initial purpose of the trike. Not the same can be said about the example we have here. This 1949 Servi-Car was, like many others of its kind, used by a police department. In this case we’re talking about the one in Oakland, California. Despite having underwent a rebuild, needed because of its age, it remains fitted with pretty much all the hardware it had back when it was in the force. Aside for the mandatory red lights and a siren, it also features a 750 cc side-valve engine with large cooling fins to avoid overheating when on patrol, a left-hand throttle that allowed police officers to draw their weapons with the right hand, and a lockable box at the rear to store items needed for police work. Just as it was back during its glory days, the trike has the rear wheels spaced apart just enough to be able to ride in the tracks made in the snow by a car. Given the way it was rebuilt, and the fact that it is an original police Servi-Car, this particular one

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Weapons and drugs seized in raids targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs

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by Rachel Riga from https://www.abc.net.au/ Queensland police say they have targeted several outlaw motorcycle gangs linked to “substantial trafficking of drugs” and organised crime during a series of raids across the Gold Coast. Officers executed 15 search warrants at properties from Coolangatta to Yatala for offences involving drugs, weapons, fraud and money laundering. The operation involved more than 110 police from the State Crime Command-Organised Crime Gangs Group, the Gold Coast District, Australian Federal Police and other external agencies as part of Operation Romeo Ionic. Detective Superintendent Roger Lowe said eight people had been charged with 22 offences. “Our investigations are centred on this criminal syndicate which operates across South East Queensland into northern New South Wales and their alleged involvement in trafficking dangerous drugs, rebirthing of vehicles, substantial fraud and other serious crimes,” he said. Weapons, including a handgun and a rifle, various quantities of drugs, and phones were seized during the searches. “They’re really governed by greed and their involvement in normally illicit drugs and weapons, unlawful trafficking, so it’s not uncommon to see these gangs cross over and do business with each other and particularly even on an international scope.” A 33-year-old Southport man, alleged to be a member of the Lone Wolf motorcycle gang, is among those in custody. He is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday on weapons and drug trafficking charges, and a 28-year-old man from Redland Bay, allegedly a member of the Mongols, is due to appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court. The police operation was launched last year and investigations are still underway.

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European motorcycle police begin mission trip to South America

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Santiago, Chile, Feb 10, 2020 / 06:33 pm (CNA).- A group of European motorcycle police is currently taking part in a mission trip to South America, offering support to Catholic missionaries in poor communities. Moto for Peace is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 by Italian police officers to travel the world on motorcycles to carry out humanitarian, social and evangelistic work. The group promotes values of solidarity, friendship and cultural exchange while contributing to educational, healthcare and sanitation projects. The organization has expanded to include active police officers from Spain, Germany, and other European countries. Their previous efforts include donating motorcycles to doctors in rural Nepal, raising money for a water purifier in Ethiopia, providing medical aid in various parts of Africa, and completing construction on an orphanage in Bolivia. The current team is comprised of 16 Italian, German and Spanish police. They departed for Chile Jan. 29 and plan to visit Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru over the course of two months. The mission’s purpose is to support the commitment of Catholic missionaries in South America along an 8,700 mile route, visiting the communities where the missionaries work under conditions of poverty, lack of resources and social instability. Since their arrival in Chile, the police officers have visited homes for the elderly and orphans in three cities. They also visited the offices of the Archdiocese of Santiago and met with Archbishop Celestino Aós. In a video posted on the archdiocesan website, Aós expressed his joy at “meeting people who stand up and work for peace.” Celestino Suárez, the vice president of Moto for Peace, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish language news partner, that the current mission is being carried out with the collaboration of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The agency learned about the

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Billy Joel’s motorcycle collection vandalised

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by Bang Showbiz from http://www.contactmusic.net/ Billy Joel’s beloved 12 motorcycles were trashed when a thief broke into his home over the weekend. Bill Joel’s motorcycles were trashed when a thief broke into his home over the weekend. The ‘Piano Man’ hitmaker called police on Monday (27.01.20) morning when he discovered someone had obtained access to his house in Long Island and damaged his property. Nassau County police told TMZ 12 motorcycles and a home office on the property had been vandalised and it seems that the burglars smashed through a glass door leading into the garage. It is unclear whether anything was stolen or whether Billy was at home at the time of the break-in, which took place at some point between Saturday (25.01.20) and Monday. The 70-year-old singer – who is a known bike enthusiast and even owns a nearby motorcycle story – gave a statement to police and they are currently investigating. Billy previously insisted he’ll never retire because he has the ”greatest job in the world”. Asked if he’s considered retirement, he said: ”I have the greatest job in the world. You get up there, you make a lot of noise, girls scream, and you get s**tloads of money. Are you f***ing kidding me?” But if he does decide to quit performing, the ‘Just the Way You Are’ singer already knows what he wants to happen in his final shows. He continued: ”Now, I do have an idea for a farewell tour. ”The stage is a living-room set: couch, TV, coffee table, food. And there’s bulletproof glass between me and the audience. ”Then I come out and lay down on the couch. I grab the remote and start watching TV. ”The crowd after a couple minutes goes, ‘F**k this’, and starts throwing s**t at the glass. ”I’ll

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As Utah motorcycle deaths rise, cycle groups call for better ban on drivers using hand-held cellphones

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by Lee Davidson from https://www.sltrib.com/ Motorcycle groups revved up a call Thursday for something they say might have saved several of the record 48 riders who died on Utah highways last year: a better ban on the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. “Every time I ride my motorcycle, I always have to worry that there’s people right next to me, or in front or behind me, that are texting” or talking on cellphones, said Elvecia Ramos, founder of The Riderz Foundation, at a state Capitol news conference. “It drives me crazy.” She’s not alone. “We’re getting hit by people who are on their phones. We’re all getting hit by left-hand turns” by drivers without peripheral vision because their phones block it, said Annette Ault, Utah chapter president of American Bikers Aiming Toward Education. “And we don’t have any protection,” said Terry Marasco, legislative and policy analyst for The Riderz Foundation. 8“We don’t have any air bags. We don’t have any seat belts.” “And we don’t have any metal around us,” Ault added. So they are calling for passage of HB101 by Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, to create a better ban. Hand-held use of cellphones while driving has technically been illegal in Utah since 2007. But it can only be enforced if another moving traffic violation is committed at the same time, such as speeding. So few tickets are ever written. It also complicates the enforcement of laws that have banned texting while driving since 2009. Police report that when they pull over people they see texting, they often claim to have been merely dialing a phone number — complicating whether they may issue a ticket if they committed no other moving violation. Moss has tried — and failed — for years to allow direct citations for talking-on-the-phone violations. Republican

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Motorcycle Club Donates 400 Teddy Bears To Camden County Police To Comfort Children During Traumatic Events

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from https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com Teddy bears are making a difference in Camden County. The Brothers In Blue Motorcycle Club donated 400 teddy bears to the police department in Camden on Thursday night. Officers will use the stuffed animals to provide comfort to children involved in traumatic events. “We are extremely grateful to the Brothers in Blue for their compassion and generosity,” said Chief Joseph Wysocki. “These bears will be kept in police vehicles and always on hand to comfort a child. We are working to ensure that even during traumatic incidents, interactions with our officers are seen are meaningful and positive.” The bears will be kept in police vehicles.

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Police Aim To Stop Reckless Motorcycle Groups Before They Start Dangerous Stunt Rides

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by Todd Feurer from https://chicago.cbslocal.com/ CHICAGO (CBS) — Responding to growing complaints about packs of reckless motorcycle riders, Chicago police told aldermen they taking a more proactive approach to reining in swarms of bikers who speed down streets and expressways, performing dangerous stunts that put themselves and others at risk. Stunt rider motorcycle groups have become more popular in recent years, Chicago Police Cmdr. Sean Loughran, who heads the department’s Special Functions Division, said at a City Council Public Safety Committee meeting on the problem. Office of Emergency Management and Communications executive director Rich Guidice said there were approximately 1,100 calls to 911 last year complaining about dangerous motorcycle groups. Rather than trying to stop the groups after they’ve started speeding through the city, police said they plan to keep track of the groups on social media, in an effort to stop large stunt rides before they start. CBS 2’s Jim Williams has previously reported the stunt biker groups, which frequently post social media videos of themselves popping wheelies, speeding down sidewalks, and blowing through red lights and stop signs, sometimes coming within inches of hitting pedestrians crossing the street. Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), who called on the Chicago Police Department and OEMC to detail their plans to address the dangerous motorcycle groups, said they often ride in groups of 200 to 300 people, speeding down expressways, Lake Shore Drive, and even side streets, ignoring all traffic laws, and putting other motorists and pedestrians in danger. Loughran said part of the challenge in cracking down on the groups is that chasing them isn’t worth the risk, because it would only put more lives in danger, and actually give the stunt riders what they want – a chance at making a viral video of a police chase. “These individuals, the worst

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