Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Chief credits strong police presence for Boulder City’s calm during Mongol gathering

Mongols in Boulder City

Sam Morris

Metro patrol units travel down Nevada Way as the Mongols motorcycle club hold their annual convention in Boulder City Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Boulder City braced for a combination of motorcycle rumblings and police sirens this weekend as the Mongols Motorcycle Club gathered in town for its national meeting.

But for the most part, the city was quiet.

“There were only a handful of arrests, only one involving a Mongol,” Boulder City Police Chief Thomas Finn reported Monday. Thr Mongol-related arrest, one of five arrests throughout the weekend, was for a nonviolent issue — a Mongol who was confronted by police officers and refused to give his correct personal information.

Finn said a dozen or so citations were issued by Boulder City Police officers and their counterparts from Metro Police, who came into town to support local enforcement.

“The number of calls and tickets were slightly less than what we would receive on a typical summer night,” said Finn.

The action in town was far less than what Metro Officer Marcus Martin typically encounters.

“The weekend went peacefully from our perspective,” he said.

The number of officers in town increased throughout the weekend to ensure crime was held in check during the three-day national gathering of the Mongols, whose history has included violent fights with the rival Hells Angels.

“On Thursday night, there were 50 officers, on Friday night there were 100 and on Saturday night there were 150 to 200 officers,” said Finn, who believes this overwhelming amount of police enforcement deterred any serious criminal behavior.

With most Mongols hanging around their hotel or leisurely shopping in Boulder City’s many knick-knack and antique stores, police were left to patrol the roads coming into the town.

Many of the citations issued were to non-Mongol members, like residents speeding through town or tourists on their way to the Hoover Dam.

“We can’t target the Mongols,” said Finn, who was on patrol throughout the weekend.

As smoothly as everything went the past couple of days, there are some in Boulder City who aren’t jumping up and down to invite the rugged group back next year.

“I think (the Mongols) were disappointed with what they couldn’t get away with this weekend. I think they’re going to find somewhere else to go next year,” says Finn. “I hope they don’t come back.”

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