Minn. Hells Angels visit cost $185,000 in patrol overtime

Photo by SliceofNYC

​When Hells Angels rode through Minnesota for their stop up near Duluth, they cost the area a pricey penny. Minnesota law enforcement cost $185,000 in overtime to watch the notorious bike gang. That's one heck of a babysitting charge.

Duluth police put in $75,000 alone with 12 officers working regular patrol and 10 others monitoring the bars and traffic, ready to respond to calls of all hell breaking loose.

Law enforcement officials say the cost will be covered by grants.

More from Duluth News Tribune:

"I think it's important for us to note that these officers were engaged in police work the entire time,'' said Mike Tusken, deputy police chief of patrol. "There was no sitting and waiting for the Hells Angels to come."

"There was a tremendous police presence during that weekend and as a result we saw reduced crime," he said.

Some people in the area were upset by the amount of enforcement, saying it deterred business and wasn't needed. Police admit the Hells Angels didn't really come in spitting fire like they had planned. They say it's better to be over-prepared rather than scrambling when something terrible happens.

All of the overtime costs reported:
$75,738.28 Duluth police
$36,124.09 St. Louis County Sheriff's Office
$11,122 Minnesota State Patrol
$38,000 Carlton County
$21,000 to $25,000 Cloquet Police Department
$2,000 Proctor Police Department
$1,058 Hermantown Police Department