Police chief: Easyriders event 'not family-friendly'

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First some Alpha Biker commentary... Frank Konkel... well done! some objective investigative reporting tying together both aspects of the story... THANK YOU!

Now, onto Police Chief Tom Couling... this is the second time your name has come up... this time with more background... you have now earned two "Big Hairy Middle Fingers"... shall we try for three?


By Frank Konkel • DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Fowlerville Police Chief Tom Couling presented an after-action report to the Fowlerville Village Council on Monday on the August Easyriders 2010 Motorcycle Rodeo Tour and Rally, claiming the event increases "the potential for dangerous and criminal activity."

The annual motorcycle rally brings thousands of bikers from across the country to the Fowlerville Fairgrounds, but Couling said it brings its fair share of trouble, too.

"The activity that takes place there at the Easyriders event is not family-friendly," Couling said Tuesday. "We all have to staff heavily for the clientele, for the participants who come from all over the place. A lot of these are motorcycle gang members, club members, so we have to staff accordingly."

Couling said his report was based on observations, including at least one fistfight and other illegal activity. Couling also said he'd heard rumors of a prostitution ring.

The village bumps up its patrol from one police car to four during the Easyriders rally, Couling said.

The Fowlerville Police Department patrolled the village of Fowlerville throughout the event, held Aug. 19-22, while the Livingston County Sheriff's Department and Michigan State Police patrolled the Fowlerville Fairgrounds, which are just west of the village in Handy Township.

Sheriff Bob Bezotte said he wasn't sure what Couling was concerned about. Bezotte said that while the event surely brings tens of thousands of bikers and enthusiasts to Fowlerville, it's "well-run and organized."

Bezotte said the Sheriff's Department handled one domestic assault and one felonious assault that led to arrests at this year's Easyriders rally, along with nine minor incidents.

Bezotte said his officers see just as much action patrolling the Fowlerville Family Fair each year at the same location.

"The rally is a good event and well-run; we're there to keep everything inside the grounds controlled," Bezotte said. "(The event organizers) have always worked really well with us. We have their radio and they have ours, and it's been a great event and a good thing for our community because of the business it brings."

Bezotte said Couling didn't speak to him regarding the report he presented to Fowlerville's Village Council and that Couling might have been "talking out of school on things" because the village police aren't involved in the event's security.

John Green, president of the Easyriders Events Tour, said Couling's allegations were "ridiculous," and criticized the official for commenting about the event when he wasn't "involved with any security or public safety aspects of the event."

"I don't know how the police chief can draw conclusions to an event he's not involved with," Green said.

Green further stated that this year's Easyriders rally brought in 9,000 attendees, far below Couling's estimates of "30,000 to 40,000" listed in his report.

Green said he runs a business, and questioned how he could remain in business if he allowed such lawless activity to occur at events. Large crowds can sometimes cause trouble, Green admitted, but local law enforcement agencies meet to assess threats and prepare plans of action in case they do.

Green said he felt it was yet another attack on a group of people — bikers — who are notoriously misunderstood.

"It seems like we always have controversy anywhere we go, anytime we allow people to be free and have fun," Green said. "We're not a club. We're a business, and we're open to the general public. Why would I come into any type of event and allow bad things to happen? That would be insane."

Green said the Easyriders event is scheduled to come to the Fowlerville area again next year by contract, but stated that "we don't go anywhere people don't want us."

Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Frank Konkel at (517) 552-2835 or at fkonkel@gannett.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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