THE boss of elite bikie squad Taskforce Hydra
Garry Watts went on the attack yesterday, claiming bikie
associates had "very, very tenuous links" to outlaw gangs.
Detective Inspector Watts spoke exclusively to a local Gold
Coast radio station as part of a media campaign designed to
reassure Gold Coasters, and insisted just because an associate
was involved "it doesn't mean it has anything to do with outlaw
motorcycle gangs whatsoever".
"I know that there has been some media speculation about outlaw
motorcycle gang involvement in serious criminal offences
committed here on the Gold Coast," he said.
"I just want to point out that a bikie associate is not an OMCG
member.
"That person may have very, very tenuous links with an outlaw
motorcycle gang, yet they are referred to as an associate and
suddenly it becomes a big bikie issue.
"That is certainly not the case at all. A bikie associate is not
a member and really I think it's very irresponsible to link
those people with an outlaw motorcycle gang."
Taskforce Hydra held a similar press conference in April last
year claiming bikie violence was not out of control on the Gold
Coast. The next day, a woman shopper was shot during a
confrontation between two rival gang members at Robina Town
Centre.
Mr Watts conceded there had been a number of incidents in recent
times and said there "were always tensions in OMCG groups
operating in a similar geographical area".
Mr Watts' stance placed him at loggerheads with South East
Region Assistant Commissioner Graham Rynders, who relied on
arrest rates of associates to boost figures designed to prove
police were tough on bikies.
In a press release on June 12, Mr Rynders revealed bikie
associates were responsible for almost two-thirds of
bikie-related arrests.
"OMCG associates contribute to the majority of offenders charged
at 56 per cent," Mr Rynders said.
"Associates are not fully patched members of outlaw motorcycle
gangs.
"Their actions, activities and connections to OMCG members
continue to be monitored and recorded by police as intelligence
which forms a basis for OMCG enforcement action.
"In comparison, approximately one-third of the 402 offenders
charged are fully patched OMCG members."
Former Gold Coast detective and criminologist Dr Terry
Goldsworthy said it was clear police were confused over the
definition of associate.
"On the one hand Taskforce Hydra says associates are not
directly linked to bikie gangs and on the other, Gold Coast
police are using associate arrests to boost their figures," Dr
Goldsworthy said.
"Well, which is it?
"You can't have it both ways."
"These clubs are constantly recruiting," said Dr Goldsworthy.
"That's how it works."
Prominent criminal lawyer Bill Potts said the Hydra boss was
playing a "game of semantics".
"Police invented the term OMCG - it's not how the gangs refer to
themselves - and they also created the term associate," Mr Potts
said.
"They have attempted to convince the public the bikies must be
declared criminal organisations, now they say associates are not
linked.
