OFF THE WIRE
Derek Olson
keloland.com
Every summer the Hells Angels hold "USA Run," which is the group's national convention. This year's run could happen in Spearfish. And, spearfish police are already preparing.
A week and a half before this year's motorcycle rally, members of the group will converge 20 miles west in Spearfish.
"We're expecting between 500 and 600 club members," Spearfish Police Chief Pat Rotert said.
From July 25 to 29, the Hells Angels will hold their annual convention in the northern hills town. Police there are wasting no time in making sure that they're ready.
"We're meeting regularly with our law enforcement resources, our own agency, Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, Division of Criminal Investigations and several federal agencies to put things in place to where we're the most prepared to deal with whatever issues might come up come the time in July when they are here," Rotert said.
"The Hells Angels are nothing new to this area, it's nothing new to the rally or to the Black Hills or Spearfish," Spearfish Police Lt. Boyd Dean said.
"Police here in Spearfish say that they've encountered members of the Hells Angels before and that they haven't posed any major problems for the area. Still, they plan on taking extra steps to keep the community safe," Standup.
"We'll have two-man cars at that time, plus we'll have assistance from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, local sheriff's departments, DCI and the federal agencies also," Dean said.
Because even though the Angels call themselves a motorcycle club, police here have no question as to what they really are, a gang.
"Clubs like the Hells Angels refer to themselves as the one-percenters for a reason, because they feel they are part of that one-percent that is truly an outlaw biker gang. They embrace that. They admit it. They wear it on their vests," Rotert said.
Regardless, the hope here is that all goes well and that there are no issues.
"If we have no issues during it and we were prepared for larger issues, that would be great," Rotert said.
Police are also talking with other communities where the Hells Angels have held their convention in prior years, to see what worked there and what didn't.
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