Internal reports obtained by the Herald show some police officers feel like they’re being asked to facilitate, rather than police, gang motorcycle runs. George Block reports.
On March 23, 2021, New Zealand was in one of the level-one lulls between lockdowns - and a convoy of Head Hunters was tearing around Auckland.
The occasion was the funeral of Dwyane “Captain” Marsh, a senior member of the gang’s West Auckland chapter.
It was always going to be a big one, and the gang farewelled him in vintage style, with dozens of patched members blasting around the city on their bikes.
Video captured on the day shows the riders following Marsh’s hearse four abreast as they roar through the Waterview Tunnel before taking over streets to perform burnouts.
During the gang’s ride around Auckland, two uniformed officers in a patrol car conducted a “3T” - a stop and search - on a Head Hunter who was acting as a scout for the rest of the pack.
Suddenly, more than 50 riders arrived, surrounded the officers and disrupted the stop. The gang members prevented one of the officers from leaving their patrol car.
Throughout the stop, the scout was so aggressive that the officers reported he was barely in control of himself.
That story was revealed in classified police intelligence reports, released in a partially redacted form after requests by the Herald under the Official Information Act.
The reports lay bare the challenges of policing the massive gang motorcycle runs that have become a source of mounting political controversy and public anger in recent years.
Scenes such as hundreds of riders from various allied patched gangs taking over Great North Rd in Grey Lynn for the funeral of Taranaki “Ardie” Fuimaono, a few months after Marsh’s farewell, led to criticism of police.
National and Act said gangs were becoming emboldened and both parties criticised police for temporarily closing the road while the gang members gathered on the street outside St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grey Lynn.
More recently, the Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki was thrown into the national spotlight when gang members gathered en masse and undertook massive motorbike and car convoys for the tangi of slain Mongrel Mob Barbarians president Steven Rota Taiatini. Dozens more police were deployed to the town amid fears of retribution.
Outside of funerals, large gang runs are not uncommon in Auckland, usually organised by the Head Hunters, Hells Angels, Tribesmen, Comancheros or Rebels outlaw motorcycle clubs.
Increasingly the gangs are commissioning professional videographers to create lavishly produced videos of the riders, complete with drone footage.
They are held to commemorate gang anniversaries or those of prominent members or as part of fundraising or community events, such as the long-running annual Auckland Hells Angels “poker run”.
In recent years convoys of young men from South Auckland on unregistered dirt bikes have become more common and are linked to patronage from the Killer Beez gang, as revealed by the Herald on Sunday last week.
A police intelligence report euphemistically titled “The Impact of Coordinated Vehicle Use on Our Roads” looks at the issue of outlaw motorcycle gang runs and the dirt bike scene.
It shows Auckland police view the gang runs and funeral rides as a real risk to the police force’s relationship with the public.
“Whether gang runs continue unchanged, or intensify, it is possible members of the public will become increasingly frustrated with police,” the report said.
Frustration, the report continued, could erode trust and confidence and give the impression police will not - and cannot - manage the gang convoys.
The report said gang runs linked to tangi were likely to be the most problematic for police to handle.
“Participants on these runs have a higher rate of emotional involvement, and this is likely to spill over into increased risk of violence, and the need to consider de-escalation as a core component of any police activity.
“Police enforcement activity against gang members during a gang run which is not well coordinated is likely to pose [an] increased risk of mass reaction by run participants and could result in direct intimidation or violence towards police staff.”
Gang runs frequently happen on a Saturday.
At the time the report was written, about 34 dedicated road policing staff were working across Auckland during the day on Saturday, and double that at night.
The report suggests the best approach may be to stand back and capture evidence of wrongdoing for later enforcement action.
“Observation at the time, and management of infringements or vehicle impounds at a period post-run may be more effective in this regard.”
This was the approach taken at the Head Hunters funeral in March 2021. Police generally hung back, snapping photos and taking notes.
A couple of weeks later police issued 167 infringement notices to riders and drivers.
Eight motorbikes were impounded and 15 riders prosecuted for driving offences, while charges were laid against 24 owners of vehicles for refusing to tell police who was driving.
However, the report reveals division within police over the best approach.
“Some police staff have expressed frustration at being asked to ‘facilitate’ gang runs, rather than curtail them,” the report said.
“Police activity to regulate gang runs is designed to avoid risk to the community, reduce traffic congestion and ensure the smooth flowing of gang-linked traffic.
“However, this is perceived by some staff and members of the public to be helping gangs rather than hindering their anti-social activity.”
In the past year or two police seem to have been increasingly open to a more assertive style of policing gang runs.
After a recent tangi in Auckland featuring a Killer Beez convoy, police seized 14 bikes and arrested three people.
Counties Manukau East area prevention manager Inspector Rakana Cook said his community had had enough of the riders.
Whatever approach police take, it appears the problem is not going away any time soon.
The death in recent days of another prominent Head Hunter is expected to bring the gang dubbed the “88s” out in force again.
Gangs have once again become an election issue as the country prepares to go to the polls.
National has pledged to make gang membership an aggravating factor in sentencing so they face tougher penalties.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon yesterday promised to scrap all Government contracts with gangs, after having criticised the funding for lifetime Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam’s Hard2Reach outfit, to provide rehabilitation services.
Labour has criticised National’s approach as “reheated” policy that already exists in sentencing legislation.
The Government last year introduced new police warrant and search powers that can be used during a gang conflict.
These powers were used to seize firearms and ammunition in Manawatū after the killing of a Mongrel Mob member in Palmerston North ramped up gang tensions in the region.
“The new powers became law in April 2023 and while focused specifically on gangs, we intend to use them prudently,” Manawatū area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said.
On Friday, two former gang members yesterday led a peace march in Palmerston North calling for calm and an end to the violence.
Oranga Tamariki is part of a broken system, say experts.