Biker Gangs in Independence
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1296277540143350.xml&coll=3
I guess they are trying to justify more police
Brad
Firefly 
hackettstownresident calm down, read the article. It was a conflict in 2007.
hackettstownresident
I think Brad was just saying that the report is to give reason for more police. I don't think he is in a panic.
Independence Township made the 2007 list as well, reporting a risk of conflict between rival outlaw motorcycle clubs the Hells Angels and the Pagans.
Before anyone comes on in a panic, or say " What is happening with our little town". Just think, it was 2007 and if you didn't know or witness anything involving gangs and it is now 2011, then is it really an issue?
Clyde Potts I am in a panic. I gotta find me some of those bad boy biker types! ahahahaha kidding
SueR Wow Sons of Anarchy right here in Independence. Won't have to wait for FX to start the new season maybe we can see it live.
earnhardt What a joke...Because "they travel through the area"...I guess Hope has millions of gang members and mafia as well from all those traveling on Route 80.
How can a man actually say that Independence has as much of a gang issue as some Hudson County cities. You can't bring up the Elks Lodge shooting as a reason to mention over 100 gang members in the area. This whole study is obviously inflated for one reason or another.
John K "Gang capital of Warren County"...Should that go on the signs as you enter town? Again, why the heck would you inflate the numbers by so much?
Calling all Biker guys...all biker guys! If you are single and hot please apply!!! lol ;)
Pepper Cat "Independence Township made the 2007 list as well, reporting a risk of conflict between rival outlaw motorcycle clubs the Hells Angels and the Pagans."
"It was a popular hangout for bikers in years past and to a much lesser extent now, police said"
"The numbers are almost entirely based on bikers from places such as Elizabeth and Newark who travel through Independence Township and sometimes stop at the local bars."
I think I should be terrified by having a Harley dealership in Hope. What has this world come to? I think I should move to Camden where it is much safer.
"The statistics in a New Jersey State Police gang survey released Friday portray rural Independence Township as the gang capital of Warren County with higher numbers than urban Phillipsburg.
The 2010 Street Gang Survey puts the number of gangs in the township at six with 115 members."
It is simply refering back to the 2007 results as well. This is about 2010 results.
Ryan(ligitty) And if Independence is the gang capital of Warren County based on the study, I think that they need to study a little harder. That is ridiculous.
Ah! We don't have biker gangs in Great Meadows, we have the moped gang!LOL You see them every summer, actually you hear that little bzzzzzz way before you see them. Gives me a laugh when they ride down 46.
Steve-0 Read the article people!
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1296277540143350.xml&coll=3
oldman so is that why there police and the state police were hanging a round today . hey can the town ship get more grants to start there own swat team . are the schools keeping up with lock down training
I realy would like to know how this knuckle head got his figures
Caged Animal I wish that hideous Stage Dolls were closed down. Now they have hot pink *huge* letters on the side of the building. Is that truly permitted according to zoning? I'm sure they're attracting some of the clientele of this article
Is this seriously the kind of establishment we want in a rural area where it's supposed to be great to raise our children?
How do people feel about the kids on the school buses reading their sign twice a day?
Probably doesnt help anything that there was a group hanging out at the local bars wearing colors and trying to "recruit" people last Xmas time. I dont remember the name, but total jack**ses.
Aren't the apartment complexes off of High St. part of Independence? I don't think any gangs are hanging out in Great Meadows.
maja We, are all residents of this area. I have never seen any "real" (hard core) motorcycle gangs. I'm sure you all agree if there was we would know about it, and there would be a discussion about it on this forum. We all know there is an increase of motorcycle activity come spring on rt 46 W in Great Meadows, because it beats driving 80. That could be when they sit and take their so called survey. Just my thought.
Gets out my Schwinn Delmar Cruiser
rumbles though the meadows heads to H'town Picks up Pepper cat turns her in to a biker babe and off we go zoom zoom :-)
Ok Independance
What are you willing to do to have this stain bleached a way and if you dont then
Who ever said there should be a sign that says welcome to Independance #1 Gang land warren county
I know I'm coming late to this thread, and I've read mostly light-hearted responses to a very serious article especially if you live in Independence Twp. The article refer's to a statement made apparently, by an officer on the force which is then disputed by the Police Chief. The fact is, the statistics found in the survey had to be approved by the Chief of Police of Independence Twp. The report states that we have six gangs? with 115 members.
The incident between the Pagans and the Angels happened fifteen years ago in Hackettstown which in the same survey states as having one gang with twelve members.
Mansfield Twp. is reporting four gangs and six members. Obviously there is some double-dipping going on over there.
There has never been any evidence presented officially which confirmed the established presence of any gang either in Hackettstown, Independence or adjoining communities.
I hope the Township Committee of Independence ask to have these numbers justified. This is not confidential information.
Would you buy a house in Independence Twp?
By the way, I would not be proud of the way this article was written if I were T.Quigley or the Express-Times.
You can find the entire gang survey at the link below. You'll have to scroll down to page 131 to find the actual numbers.
http://www.njsp.org/info/pdf/gangs_in_nj_2010.pdf
I know that some bikers do stop at local bars as they go through town, but I think it's just because route 46 runs through town and it's a nice bike route. There was a shootout in town when my husband was a child, but I don't think there have been any real problems since.
Sandy Fact finder... The incident in Hackettstown involved the Pagans and Tri-County... the Hells Angels had nothing to do with it. There was a more recent incident that started at Franky and Johnnys in Buttzville that involved a group of Angels, though.
iPhone-imal The more recent incident was definitely at Island Park. It was at a fundraiser for a local kid who had cancer or some other disease. I think his name is Tyler. It was either in 2008 or 2009. I'm fairly certain someone was stabbed. Believe it or not, I wasn't there that afternoon and apparently my memory is a little sketchy on this incident but I believe it was a scuffle between Pagans and Angles.
Calico696 i was driving by island park when the biker incident happened...i could tell there was some kind of scuffle going on...i later found out what really happened
Calico you are correct because after the incident the Pagans and Angels scattered and the police were looking all over for them. There were also Mavericks riding around although i do not believe they were involved in the violence. Believe it or not most of these biker gangs are very friendly and charity oriented. But when they get around rival gangs they are like two male dogs around a female in heat.
Sillytrix - Very true, they were searching up and down 31. The bikers I know are good people.
There was a small article about the incident back then, but I can't seem to locate a link yet. I'll keep looking.
There weren't any Pagans there. The guy who got attacked was wearing a "16" shirt which shows support for the Pagans, which some Angels took exception to. Staties later pulled over a bunch of Angels in Wash Boro on Aroute 57, but no one was ever arrested, IIRC.
My understanding is the Pagens are also looking into purchasing J.P. Kelly's. Twas the scuddlebut.
OK, to answer IPhone-imail, yes it was a member of Tri-County who shot up a couple of Pagans. But the Pagans went to the Elks Lodge because they expected to find the Angels, who at the time were moving into Northwest Jersey. The Hells Angels were prominently mentioned in all articles pertaining to the incident. To answer Calico 696 the Angels did in fact assault a person at Franky and Johnny's who they thought was associated with the Pagans. By the way, the boys name was Tyler Whitmore. The point it seems to me that you all are missing is that neither of those incidents occurred in Independence Twp! the question is, do we or do we not have six gangs with an estimated population of 115 members!!!! The answer would seem to be obvious to anyone living here longer than two weeks. Why were those numbers submitted to the State Police?
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