Police to call bikies ‘outlaw’ gangs, not ‘criminal’
- Thomas Chamberlin
- The Courier-Mail
- April 20, 2015 5:00PM
Police this afternoon released a statement confirming they will refer to bikies as outlaw motorcycle gang members or “OMCGs”, in a move that politically aligns with the new government and other police jurisdictions.
It comes as anti-bikie squad Taskforce Maxima prepares to transition to a position under the State Crime Command and report to Assistant Commissioner Gayle Hogan.
It had been previously aligned to the command of Deputy Commissioner Brett Pointing.
“Taskforce Maxima will transition from the Command of the Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations to the Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations on 1 July 2015 without any changes to its current structure,” a police statement said.
“This transition was always part of the Commissioner’s vision for the Queensland Police Service.
“The Queensland Police Service has aligned the terminology to be consistent with other law and enforcement agencies, both nationally and internationally.”
The changes come as the State Government plans to this year hold an inquiry into criminal gangs, while already flagging concerns about anti-association and mandatory sentencing aspects of bikie laws introduced by the former LNP government.