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Paso Robles police greet bikers with beefed up force

June 23, 2015

PASO ROBLES BRICK SIGNThe outlaw Vagos Motorcycle Club came to Paso Robles Friday, and the police department greeted the bikers by beefing up patrols, barricading buildings and calling in the SWAT team. [KSBY]

Vagos bikers arrived on Friday and checked into some Paso Robles hotels. Some members of other motorcycle clubs also came into the area, according to the police department. Police say a few dozen bikers arrived in the city.

No violence broke out, and the police did not receive any threats in advance. The bikers made appearances in some bars, and they left Paso Robles by the end of the weekend.

Yet, multiple law enforcement agencies sent personnel to Paso Robles. Officers cordoned off certain areas of town, including city hall, the library and the police department.

SWAT vehicles and a San Luis Obispo police van appeared in Paso Robles. Also, some officers were seen wearing full body armor.

Many residents questioned the police response.

Police Chief Robert Burton said the police operation aimed to protect the community against a documented gang organization and to be ready in case violence broke out.

Burton said the biker event was a large gathering. In that sense it was different type of event than an outlaw motorcycle gang gathering in town, as sometimes occurs, Burton said.

Police officers, investigators and county gang task force officers determined in advance that the bikers were coming to town. They then put an operation plan together to ensure they would be prepared to deal with anything that may happen, Burton said.


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Speaking of threats to public safety, Where is the concern about the Mexican drug gangs who have completely taken over the North End of Spring Street and turned the north end of Paso Robles into a decaying, crime-infested, drug-gang ghetto? Is the PRPD receiving under the table bribes from the Mexican Drug Cartel? Are the organized-crime thugs of the public employee unions aiding and abetting the organized-crime thugs of the Mexican Drug Cartel?


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I know that Paso has concerns about the North End of Spring, but, a decaying, crime infested, drug-gang ghetto is a little overboard. Have you ever been to the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Compton, Inglewood, Riverside’s East Side, San Bernardino. Paso needs to take action to control criminal activity in any area that is seeing increases but, let’s not make it out to be something that it is not. I highly doubt that there is any evidence of corruption within the PRPD regarding this matter either.


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So the police used methods they know work to prevent problems. No problems, right?

what’s the beef?


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Pick your poison, bikers or cartels…


When you make policy, you really need to think about unintended consequences. Because we have so much regulation on what people can buy and sell, especially with regard to drugs, we are going to have an active black market. And because there are no rules on the black market, and no way to settle disputes in a court, criminal organizations inevitably take shape.


That leaves a society with more choices. The first, and smartest, choice would be to realize that the cure is worse than the disease and reverse restrictive policy. But if that’s not done, then one needs to consider the effect of how you deal with the criminal organizations. If you eliminate any of them, it will cause the remainder to grow in size. If you eliminate all of them, then someone is going to come in and fill the void.


With a continued drug war we have catch-22 situation.. do you tolerate the presence of the biker gangs, who usually contain the violence within their own subculture, or do you go after them and open the door for the established Mexican cartels to take control?


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I’m always amazed that anyone would try and defend these hideous murderers/drug traffickers/human traffickers/extortionists/ID thiefs. They’re dangerous scum of the Earth that prey on others and ruin lives.


I don’t care how many “toy runs” they have around Christmas. Those that advertise the fact they are members of associations like the: bandidos, hell’s angels, mongols, outlaws, vagos, wheels of soul, etc. deserve to be persecuted.


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Thank you Chief Burton for making the correct call. One should usually consider that when these 1%, outlaw bikers, show up somewhere in a large group that there is a relatively high chance that there will be some type of violence. Why? Because that is what they do, they are outlaws. I don’t know what the intentions of the group may have been. But hats off to Chief Burton and the other local law enforcement agencies for not putting out the welcome mat for these people.


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Mr. Holly, My welcome mat is out, as it always will be. My father was a biker and have many friends that are. They are the first ones there when I need help, without asking without question. Some of these ‘outlaws’ are veterans who served this country. There were no intentions and had it not been for the article, most would of never known. They have been in this county a very long time, not causing problems. Assuming is a huge problem for anyone unwilling to not seek the truth themselves. Enjoy your day.


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The truth is that the Vagos have been identified as a high threat gang by the FBI. They didn’t gain that recognition without cause.


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Government has a conflict of interest. All levels of government have been corrupted by the organized-crime thugs of the public-employee unions. Government is in bed with organized-crime.


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I take no offense to the dislikes, Im proud of my family. My dad served in Vietnam. He is and always will be my hero. Bikers have families, graduate college, own businesses, homes, go on vacations. Im not saying they are all awesome people, Im not blind to reality, Im saying theres good and bad in all walks of life. Im leaving a light on too.


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Nope. You’re wrong. By definition those that belong to outlaw motorcycle gangs ARE bad people. The BAD is one price of membership.


There are certainly groups of people that ride together as club members without any links to crime, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about criminals.


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SamLouis My father was not a criminal or a bad person or a wannabe. He held his patch. Im not saying it was with the Vagos or what affiliation. My father did a hell of a lot of good in this county. And I will not allow you to bad mouth a man that is no longer with us. I remain proud of him and who he was and all the people he helped. I still have people I run into and say that was your dad? He was something else, good man and honest. He is and will by my hero forever. I know what a criminal is, and its criminal to judge a CLUB not a gang as a whole.


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You’re trying to suggest one can be a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang (where being a criminal is a requirement for membership) AND a good person.


Sorry but no sale — being a member of such a group and being a good person are mutually exclusive. Good people don’t belong to such horrid organizations.


Either he was a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang (such as those listed above) — in which case he was not a good person, or he was what you term a “wannabe” (a non-criminal MC) in which case he might have been a good person.


You’re trying to suggest one can be both — a criminal and a good person and that’s simply bull manure.


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I have nothing against most bikers. But when it comes to the 1% they are outlaws and criminals. My comments were directed towards these 1% only and not towards the wannabe’s.


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Mr. Holly thank you for assuming I was talking about my father as a wannabe, Im sure he is getting a kick out of that as he is watching down over me. 1%, outlaws and criminals, my father, not to be disrespected. Vietnam Veteran. Served his country. Turned to the club because his country turned on him.


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You are suggesting that those of us concerned about the law breaking gangs and law abiding citizens can’t tell the difference. We can. I too know many law abiding motorcycle enthusiasts. I also know that if you do some research you will see that the Vagos have earned the attention that they received in Paso Robles. In addition, nobody is claiming that the Vagos broke laws when in Paso or that the Paso Robles PD violated their civil rights.


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All opinions set aside, it was a very busy policeman and fireman weekend. Millions spent and what a coincidence.


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The Vagos and the Hell’s Angels are battling for territory to distribute drugs, extort money, and run prostitution. There have been murders and executions all over the southwestern US from Tex-Arcana to the Pacific. The gangs track each other’s movements and challenge each other where they can. The cops were just making it clear that Paso Robles wouldn’t be that place.


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So are the mongols.


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