New West launches own probe of firefighter bikers
Florian’s Knights is now the subject of two separate investigations of conduct
A second investigation has been launched into the conduct of a firefighter biker club with links to the Hells Angels, New Westminster’s fire chief said Thursday.
Tim Armstrong said his department is investigating the conduct of two New West firefighters who joined with three Burnaby firefighters and a retired Vancouver firefighter to form the Florian’s Knights, a motorcycle club that has been associating with the Hells Angels.
Earlier this week, Burnaby formed a committee to look at the conduct of its municipal employees who are part of the Knights.
Armstrong said New Westminster city officials are concerned about the potential harm to the community’s confidence in the fire department.
“It is definitely a concern to myself on behalf of our department and the city,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said he only learned about the Knights this week when Postmedia reported that the firefighter bikers had been on rides with the Hells Angels.
“This is all very new to me too as well. I don’t have a lot of insight into the whole organized crime issue. But definitely we don’t condone that type of activity within our department,” he said. “The members of our department hold themselves in high regard within the community as public servants and I think we are all troubled with the potential for any loss of confidence within the organization.”
The Knights founder, Burnaby firefighter Nick Elmes, posed recently for a photo with the Kelowna Hells Angels president, Damiano Dipopolo, and three other full-patch Hells Angels. And Elmes bought a North Burnaby house with another man that’s being used at the Knights clubhouse.
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said Thursday that his investigation is also looking into the operation of a clubhouse in a residential neighbourhood. “I am always concerned if any department in the city is in a position of drawing unwanted attention as a result of the activities of some members,” Corrigan said. “We have an obligation to make sure that we respond promptly and that we commence an investigation quickly and we’ve done that.”
He said interviews with interested parties have started and that the city has consulted lawyers to clarify what it “can and can’t do.”
“There are real limits on what an employer can do about someone’s life outside of their employment,” Corrigan said. “But the negative reflection on the city and the negative reflection on the fire department is something I think everyone across the board is concerned about and wants to alleviate as quickly as possible.”
Corrigan said he doesn’t understand why the Knights would hang around with the notorious biker gang.
Three Hells Angels chapters are currently battling in court with the B.C. government over allegations theirs is a criminal organization and should have to forfeit three clubhouses. That civil trial recently adjourned until the fall.
“It seems rather naive to think that you can have this association with the Hells Angels and not be hurt by it. I am surprised that anyone would put themselves in that position given the high regard that is held for firefighters and their reputation in the community,” Corrigan said.