Nothing to be concerned about, says Windsor police chief ahead of Hells Angels gathering

Windsor Police Chief Jason Crowley says the city is fully prepared for the arrival of about 750 members of the Hells Angels this weekend. While the force believes it's prepared for any scenario, Crowley expects the biker gangs will keep to themselves.

Nothing to be concerned about, says Windsor police chief ahead of Hells Angels gathering Jason Crowley expects there to be about 750 visitors to Windsor this weekend Windsor Police Chief Jason Crowley says that they are fully prepared for the arrival of Hells Angels-affiliated motorcycle gang members in Windsor-Essex in the coming days. Roughly 750 people linked to the Hells Angels as well as other clubs from across Ontario, other parts of Canada and some from the United States are expected, Windsor police said this week. Crowley says that the motorcyclists are having their national party in Windsor-Essex, but there is little to be concerned about.

"I can tell the people of Windsor and Essex County that there is no threat here," Crowley told CBC News. "They typically keep to themselves and they don't want any trouble either because that's not what they're here for." Windsor police have noted the gathering is not affiliated with the well-known local charity motorcycle rally Hogs for Hospice.

What are they here for? The Hells Angels clubhouse is located in Amherstburg. Crowley says that they are likely to spend the majority of their time at that location.

"They'll hang out there a lot, but they will come in and partake in some of the businesses: bars, restaurants, strip clubs in Windsor," Crowley said. "They travel large groups typically, so you'll be able to see large groups traveling through the county, through the city." When asked if being a member of the Hells Angels is a crime in itself, Crowley had this to say.

"No, not at all," he clarified. "They have been designated an organized group of organized crime so that's why the police are concerned, but I can tell the people of Windsor-Essex County that there is no threat here." However, he says Windsor-Essex residents can expect to see a heightened police presence during the weekend.

"As police we have a responsibility to maintain public order and public safety," Crowley said. "Really there's no worry for anybody in the community. There's no threat to public safety."

"These kind of groups, they don't want to draw too much attention to themselves ... they like to fly under the radar because of some of the things they do." ‘Best behaviour’ expected Longtime Canadian crime reporter Peter Edwards says gatherings such as this for biker gangs are mandatory for members — and a show of force, but he doesn’t expect anything criminal in nature.

“They'll be going around to the bars in the strip clubs,” the Toronto Star journalist said. “They'll be planning next moves.” Edwards, who’s also penned several books about outlaw bikers and organized crime, believes they’ll be on their “best behaviour.”

“They want people to go away thinking they look tough, but they're not so bad. They're hoping to get people saying they're kind of lovable ... it's kind of theatre.”

Edwards says he’s most interested to see if Walter Stadnick attends the gathering. The former Hells Angels national president previously served jail time after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking charges in 2004. “Extremely smart, but extremely low profile.

He doesn't give a lot of clues. [You’d think] he'd have to show up at this point. And if he's quit, that's a dangerous thing because then now you walk away with everybody's dirty secret.

You know, that's not a safe thing to do.” Biker gang Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club is in a so-called new era of “rapid recruitment” recently in parts of Ontario, according to Ontario Provincial Police. “There's a lot of kids who want some sort of identity, who want to get into a club.

Guns are very, very cheap now ... so the potential for violence is a lot higher.” Satan’s Choice outlaw gang began dissolving in 2000 as the Hells Angels absorbed many of its branches.

Edwards says despite the tension between the two gangs, he doesn’t think anything will bubble up in Windsor this weekend. “The Satan’s Choice has started up with some ex members of the Hells Angel. One of their members was murdered in May.

It's sort of an open secret that there's more people who should be looking over their shoulder right now.”