BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
When hundreds of motorcyclists take part in the Operation Blue Santa Poker Run Saturday in our area, a very special guest will be among them.
International Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club President John Boyan, of Rochester, New York, is coming to help celebrate the event which benefits the Millbrook Police Department’s Operation Blue Santa, held each year around Christmas.
This is the 3rd Annual Punisher’s Blue Santa Poker Run. It will begin at the Harley Davidson of Montgomery, and will include, door prizes, and registration of participants from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Kickstands will go up at 12:30 p.m. and the riders will depart on the route.
From Montgomery, they will travel to other locations (for about 45 minutes each) including WVC Motorcycle Garage, then Big Star Tavern, then Adrienne’s Downtown Bar and finally Thirsty Turtle in Millbrook for the After Party. The Bruce Smelley Band, Alex Walker and Killing Karma are performing at The Thirsty Turtle located at 4884 Main Street in Millbrook.
There awards will be presented, as well as plenty of other fun events. All proceeds will benefit Operation Blue Santa, and allow the Millbrook Police Department to provide Christmas gifts to area children that may have not received any otherwise.
“I am really excited to come down and be a part of this event,” President Boyan said. He is a retired police chief from New York with 35 years as a police officer. He has served as the International President for 12 years. “I have always had fun in Alabama. I was on the Bomb Squad (as a police officer) and trained at Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville. Everyone on the Bomb Squad trains at that facility. That was my first experience in Alabama and it was from July to August. I got to experience the heat and humidity, and it doesn’t compare to New York in any fashion.”
As for the Punishers LEMC, Boyan said the original club was founded in New Jersey in 1999. He has been a member since 2001. In recent years the club has grown tremendously, and today boasts more than 260 chapters across the world. It is made up largely of police officers, first responders of all types and military, but that is not necessarily a requirement to be a patched in member. The Punishers LEMC is the largest such motorcycle club in the world.
While some people may still have an image of a motorcycle club as a bunch of law breakers and people doing illegal activities, the Punisher’s LEMC is the exact opposite Boyan stressed. Events are created to be family friendly and include spouses, significant others and even children. Their primary goals are comradery, fundraising, supporting widows of fallen officers and military and being community-minded.
They have a strict set of bylaws, and they expect all members to follow a code of behavior.
“This is really run like a big company with 260 franchises,” Boyan said. “We are really well-organized and have an internal affairs division. We have a whole system of handling rank and file, structure. The difference is no one is getting paid to do this, and a lot of us have already retired.”
Boyan said he has stayed involved because he truly loves the club, meeting new members, traveling to different chapters and being with like-minded people.
“For me personally, I have stayed involved because I miss that comradery of the job. I started as a police officer in 1977. We covered each other’s backs, did the job, and did it fairly. Police were respected then, so we loved what we were doing. Like any group of people, doing a job together. But when you retire you lose that. The cop job is that you are in or out and when you are out you are out. You miss that group of people you were tight with. So, the club has replaced that for me since I retired.”
Boyan said that public image is a big deal for the Punishers. “We want to be viewed in a positive way. The words ‘Motorcycle Club’ are not always the most well accepted things in public or law enforcement. Some think of that as a bunch of wild and crazy guys, that are feeling need to get out and raise hell. But that is not the case for us.”
Boyan has law enforcement running through his DNA. He is the grandson and son of law enforcement officers. “You could say it is a family business for me,” he said. Even after retirement, it is ingrained in him that he needs to be some type of public servant. He found that ability with the Punishers LEMC.
The group has stood up to bullying, raised untold thousands of dollars for communities or individuals and charities. They build handicap ramps, or help out wherever possible all across the world.
On Saturday, the participants will continue those good works, joining with other motorcycle riders both locally and across the country. Many out of state riders are coming and have booked rooms in multiple area hotels in Elmore and Autauga counties. An exact figure of how many motorcycle riders to expect was not available. A good guess would be at the very least 200.
Boyan said he hopes to do a lot of meeting, greeting and talking about the Punishers organization to prospective new members.
“I like to spend time talking to people I haven’t met before and talk to prospects. They are the future of the club. I don’t want them to be intimidated by the title of International President. I want them to know that I am just like them,” he said.
Boyan said he is extremely impressed with what the Capital City Punishers LEMC has done in recent years.
“Alabama has around 15 chapters from Huntsville down to Mobile and all chapters in between. It has really taken off in the last couple of years as far as Alabama goes. We are starting to expand out west. We have six or seven California chapters.”
But there are chapters all over the world as well. This year Boyan was schedule to visit a chapter in Italy, and tour the countryside with his wife. But COVID put a stop to that. He is looking forward to scheduling more trips outside of the United States when situations allow. But for now, he is happy to be in Alabama and looking forward to Saturday for the Blue Santa Poker Run.
For more information about the Capital City Punishers, they can be found on Facebook. For more information about the Punishers LEMC in general, visit punishersworldwide.com.
If you are interested in taking part in the ride Saturday, you don’t have to be a motorcycle rider, or part of any club. Guests are welcome! Visit the Capital City Punishers FB for more information, or just show up at the Thirsty Turtle Saturday afternoon. Donations will be accepted. Area children will be the beneficiaries of every penny that is raised for this huge event. The Elmore/Autauga News will be there, and we hope to see, too!
