City still in the vice grip of deadly war

JIM Keogh knows the exact moment police became aware of the grip of bikies on the cocaine-rich and steroidpumped Glitter Strip.

He had arrived on the Gold Coast in 2000 as a regional district officer, working under “hard-arsed” superintendent David Melville who he respected and was sent to Burleigh CIB.

The infamous “Burleigh busts” saw raids get blanket media coverage and calls to Crimestoppers double. The same strategy would be used on his return to Surfers Paradise and later with the Rapid Action and Patrol group.

Keogh was sent to relieve as district officer in Surfers Paradise, and in mid-2000 Melville ordered a crackdown on crime in the nightclub precinct only for the debrief to reveal the Finks had control of the club strip.

Bulletin: Was that the first time you had strong intelligence about the strength of the bikie claim on the city?

Keogh: It was. What we were able to do was remove a lot of the anti-social behaviour but that was the scratch of the surface.

Bulletin: The extortion side with bikies involves employment at the door (of clubs)?

Keogh: Weekly payments and total control of security.

Bulletin: And security is crucial for the police force in allowing contact with the head of security of venues to control unruly behaviour?

Keogh: During the crackdown on the licensed venues we soon discovered that the majority of security providers were unlicensed and really just subcontractors of the bikie gangs. The policing of security providers sits with li- quor licensing, so the joint crackdown scoped in the security staff. But still we couldn’t eradicate the bikie element, it was too well entrenched.

Bulletin: You were losing. Bikies posed on the front page of this newspaper and said “We run this town”.

Keogh: Yeah, but before we even got to “We run this town” they knew they ran this town to the point where they actually had dialogue with us, indicating they had won the fight and did we need a hand.

Bulletin: How did that impact on morale?

Keogh: It didn’t sit well … it gave the wrong impression not just to some of the troops but the community.

When the Lone Wolves and Black Uhlans combined to ride into Surfers Paradise, Keogh was photographed meeting with them.

Bulletin: What really went down there?

Keogh: In fact we were discussing how many staff I had hidden behind closed doors at Surfers Paradise to which I told the bikies “I had many staff, if this goes bad I will have the numbers you won’t”. The reality is I was blocking. I didn’t have the numbers at all. Behind the closed doors was one person making coffee.

Bulletin: So you were not surprised then by the ultimate brawl in Broadbeach in 2013 and the ugly face of bikies.

Keogh: They became 10ft tall and bulletproof and were untouchable. They themselves were well entrenched in substance abuse, predominantly cocaine and steroids. It was always going to happen. There would be a spillover in someone’s turf.

Assistant Commissioner Brett Pointing asked Keogh to head up RAP. He initially declined only to be told he had no choice. Tough new laws along with Taskforce Maxima would provide back-up.

Bulletin: In a 12-month assault 3206 people were arrested on 5000 charges, bikie membership dropped from 1133 to 820 and 10 clubhouses on the Coast closed. Why then did Labor remove the VLAD laws and water down the role of RAP and move you to Brisbane?

Keogh: (pauses) I guess the easiest way to look at it is politics. And the Government of the day might see they can produce better laws, and they might. But they need to embrace what was the community’s thoughts.

Bulletin: Labor got Judge Alan Wilson to review the bikie laws. Were you ever asked to address that review? Keogh: No. Bulletin: What would you have said to the review?

Keogh: Well the question I would pose would be what’s not working with the previous legislation? What I would have asked – these laws are here for the community, what are the community’s thoughts?

Bulletin: Where do you think we are now?

Keogh: It’s a war, there’s no two ways about it. Hard to say where we are now. The ice scourge. The bikies have the ability to see what’s coming around the corner and what’s going to be successful in drug trade. They really embrace the sale of this drug of misery and death.

JIM KEOGH