Officer Wanna-Be 1%er?
In following the story about the death of Baltimore Officer NormStamp, I'm compelled to comment. Let me preface by offering my sincerest condolences to the Stamp family. It is profoundly tragic the loss they aresuffering.
That being said, most law enforcement entities seriously frown upon their officers having any affiliation or association with a club or organization with a less-than-credible reputation, or in this case, a want-to-be outlaw motorcycle club. How one could be in an official law enforcement capacity and also be a patchholder in a rogue motorcycle club is baffling tome. And there are other officer/members in this club. You can't be a police/fireman's MC and also act like outlaws.....
Seems Officer Stamp had mixed loyalties. It is said he wasn't afraid of a fight, which isn't exactly becoming of a long-standing police officer. Mixing the two worlds could only end up badly and it sure did. Why a veteran officer would draw his weapon before other officers, knowing that he would be fired upon, is beyond me. And last time I checked, brass knuckles were illegal, whether worn or brandished. Now the Chosen Sons are hailing and praising this man when, quite frankly, it is their behavior that precipitated the death of their "brother". And it is them who have to live with their part in this fiasco that ended in the loss of someone they claim a friend.
I have been a motorcyclist all my life and spent my share of time with various motorcycle groups and clubs. During my tenure in Baltimore from 1986 to 2000the Chosen Sons MC were always reputed as a bunch of thugs. Plain and simple. Always trying to be hardcore biker outlaws, but basically, just your average thugs, of which many members were frequently in trouble WITH the law. (must have been a real quandry with their fellow "cop" members!) They reigned out of a tiny little hole-in-the-wall" clubhouse" in Highlandtown which the rest of us steered clear of. Other riders, and other clubs, weren't keen on the Chosen Sons' members and if any Chosen Son bearing his "colors" showed up in a bar, most people would just leave. Not out of any kind of fear or intimidation, but merely out of nuisance. Inevitably, they would behave belligerently, pick fights with patrons, and just create an environment you didn't want to be around.
Lots of us bikers would frequent the Haven Lounge many nights and with the exception of the very occasional scrap between a couple guys, there wouldn't be an incident even remotely close to what happened last week. The owner, Charlie, wouldn't tolerate that kind of behavior in his establishment. I'm not the least bit surprised to learn that the Chosen Sons broke into a full-out brawl in this bar that night over some knuckle-dragging machismo mentality. It's pretty obvious mistakes were made by those participating in the fight, and by Norm himself. The officers, however, are not at fault. They carried out their duties as trained. You mix a bunch of so-called "outlaw"bikers, a strip joint, alcohol, and a huge dose of machismo, there's going to be a scene. You draw a weapon on police officers, they're going to draw theirs..and they're going to shoot. It's just too bad that Norm Stamp forgot the policeman in himself at that moment. Seems he's died for the Chosen Sons' sins.
Boy those were some times of pure adrenaline, what a high...
