The Untold History of Motorcycle Clubs: Police and the 3-Piece Patch

Why don't motorcycle club members like the Police? Because the Police can take away their freedom. The bikers want to by free of societies rules and control and the Police are in the way of that.

You would think that both the Police and the Bikers would have a good understanding of the "Biker World", but it's not true. I have personally talked with supposed Police Experts in the O.M.G. field. I've learned that while most of these experts may be good at putting a few bikers in jail, they don't understand the biker culture and history, which would help them understand how it works. I have also talked with many "Outlaw Biker" types that while are knowledgeable about the club they belong to, don't know the real biker history.

The "Outlaw" bikers and the Police have been at odds since the early 1960's. The bikers say the Police are profiling them, the Police say the bikers are criminals. Both are partially correct, some Police are profiling and some bikers are criminals. The Police have been told for years that all bikers are criminals. The non-criminal bikers have been trying to overcome that image, with little success. The criminal bikers continue to commit crimes, which tarnish the image of the no-criminal bikers. This has been an ongoing struggle between good and evil for 40 years.

The Police are taught that the 3-piece patch are a sign of the bigger "Outlaw" clubs, and the 1-piece patch is for the smaller law-abiding clubs. But the truth is a person needs to know what the club is about, not how patches the club wears.

The biggest problem is the misinformation in both the biker and Police communities. Some people in both groups learn the correct information and history and act accordingly while others believe the ignorance.

The Police need to learn who the criminals are and act accordingly.

The bikers need to learn the history of the motorcycle community and where they fit into it.

There is a misconception in the Police community that if you wear "Biker Colors" you are emulating the "Outlaw" clubs no matter the clubs purpose, the police say "why do you want to emulate the "Outlaw" clubs?", this type of thinking is ignorant. The fact is the "Outlaw" clubs of the 1960's are emulating the clubs which came before them, 60 years worth. Second, its the criminal element in the clubs which make the difference between the good clubs and the bad clubs.

For the most part being a member of a law abiding motorcycle club is similar to being a member of a car club. Members belong to something they enjoy and have something in common with others. Many car clubs are vehicle (make and model) specific, just the same as some motorcycle clubs. Most car clubs and many motorcycle clubs have a "anyone who agrees to and follows the clubs by-laws can join". Some more serious motorcycle clubs in addition to having by-laws have a strict probationary period with a strict set of rules.

By taking time to study the background and history anyone can determine what they are looking at.