Frequently Asked Questions

Often times people are concerned with asking a question for fear of being embarrassed.  For those in law enforcement we know there are always questions to answer.  Below you will find some information related to those unasked questions.  Also, by reviewing the tabs you may find answers to other questions of concern to you.

1. Do I have to be a licensed peace officer to be a Blue Knight? Yes.  In Minnesota a peace officer is someone with arrest authority beyond citizen’s arrest.  If you work for a Minnesota Law Enforcement Agency and have/had a P.O.S.T. License you probably qualify.  If you work for an alphabet agency and have arrest authority, you probably qualify.  There are exceptions to this but please review the membership tab for greater details.  

 

An exception to this is Honorary Members.  We are limited to the number we can have.  Currently MN IV is maxed out with 4 Honorary Members.  

 

2. What is MN IV?  This is the abbreviation for the Blue Knights, Chapter 4 (Roman Numerals) located in the Twin Cities / Metro area.  

 

3. Are there other Blue Knights Chapters?  Yes, there is.  The Blue Knights are a worldwide organization.  There are many different chapters.  If you go to the Links Tab, and then click on Blue Knights International you will see at the top of the page various countries that can be opened.  Follow the United States to the state you are interested in and then open the chapters to see what is in your area.

 

4. I am a licensed peace officer with arrest authority but am unsure you are a group I want to join.  What do you recommend?  Our chapter requires prospective members to join us for 2 meetings in a 6-month period. This allows the prospective member to ask questions and learn if we are a good fit for them.  We also encourage you to bring your spouse.  We will ask about you through our contacts to see if you would be a good fit with our group.

 

5. Do I have to ride only a Harley or other "American" made motorcycle to be a Blue Knight?  Absolutely not.  We don't care what kind of motorcycle your ride, only that you enjoy riding and it can travel at highway speeds when necessary.  With that being said don't worry about your bike not fitting it.  At this club everyone and their motorcycle choice is always picked on regardless of whether it sounds like potato, potato or a sewing machine.

 

6. I see you have a Chaplin.  Are you a strong religious group?  We do have a Chaplin.  Pastor Mike Haseltine, is our official Man of the Cloth.  He loves motorcycles and cops!  He also likes Fire Fighters, but we are much cooler. You should see his green chopper and yes, he does wear his Blue Knights colors to church.  Pastor Mike is the guy you can see yourself sitting down with and discussing motorcycles, the meaning of life and why things turn out the way they do.  Pastor Mike often issues blessings at meetings, rides and unfortunately funerals. Finally, what else can you say about a man with skull tattoos from his younger days!

 

7. My spouse doesn't want me to join a motorcycle gang.  We are not a gang.  We are a motorcycle club.  We have law enforcement employment or support in our history and love to ride motorcycles.  The Blue Knights encourage members to have their spouses, children, etc. to ride and attend our events.  Several of MN IV members have spouses who ride their own motorcycles.

 

8.  Is there an age requirement?  Yes, in Minnesota you need to be at least 21 to be a licensed peace officer.  At MN IV our oldest riding club member turned 81 a few years ago.  He rode his trike to Bismarck, ND for the 2018 Spring Conference.  We also have younger members.  Many of our members are retired and are now working 2nd jobs, such as grandparent day care, chasing our spouses around the home, or actually earning a paycheck.  Our group is fun-loving and full of mischief.

 

9. Is there a mandatory number of events or rides I need to attend? Yes, we expect any prospective member to attend at least 2 meetings within a 6-month period before deciding if they want to be a club member and our choosing to accept them.  After that we know life happens, but many of our members make it a point to attend meetings and other events because of our silliness. We want members to be involved when possible.  We have meetings once a month and try to schedule rides each month the weather cooperates. Some also participate in other motorcycle events or clubs.

 

10. What do you do?  We ride motorcycles.  We fund raise on special occasions.  Recently, our club sold raffle tickets for a Henry Rifle.  After selling the tickets, we were able to take our proceeds and donate them to the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA), Minnesota Association of Injured Peace Officers (MAIPO), Minnesota Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), and Special Olympics.  At the same time someone got a Henry Firearms Law Enforcement Commerative .22 lever action rifle.  As previously stated We ride motorcycles.

 

11. What is a conference and why should I attend?  A conference is for members and their families only.  A conference is usually a 3-4 day event. Members from all over travel to the conference.  Upon arrival, everyone gets a small goodie bag from the area, destination lists and a schedule of events. Usually there are escorted daily rides to scenic destinations.  In the evening there is a hospitality room, where many stories of past law enforcement humor are shared.  Destinations in the past related to conferences included the Oklahoma City Museum, The Strategic Air Command Museum in Omaha and John Wayne's home in Iowa. Many of MN IV members travel to the various conferences.

 

12. Will the webmaster or others pick on me, give me a silly nickname or the such?  As a professional organization dedicated to fun and foolishness, I guarantee you will be picked on.  In fact, if you aren't picked, on that usually means someone is plotting something to make you feel included.  Just go with it, and eventually someone else will be found to tease.  Just look at the lower part of the Chapter Officers tab to see how the webmasters mind works. Right Princess Mary Diva?

 

13. Where can I found some information on how to prepare for a long trip?  Many of our members will share memories of their trips if asked.  Realize you will probably hear more about the humor of their trips than the actual preparation, but that is part of the fun.  If you don't know a specific chapter member consider reviewing this 2015 article from Motorcycle.com  50 Tips for Riding a Motorcycle Across America

 

14. I am a Federal Police Officer, not a Special Agent (D.E.A., F.B.I., Etc.).  Do I qualify for membership?  This question has never come up before.  There are Blue Knights who were employed by the typical alphabet agencies, however the sender of this question is not employed by one of them. This question was recently answered by our International Representative. Based upon the information the person provided he does qualify for membership.  He has stated his intentions to attend a few meetings to see if we are a good fit for him and he is a good fit for our silly group.  If you are considering joining the Blue Knights and are a member of a non-typical federal agency...please contact us in advance so we can confirm you are eligible for membership.  P.S. He is now a member.

 

15. Is there a question, we didn't answer or something else you want to know?  Send us an e-mail.  We will answer your question privately, but don't be surprised if it also shows up here.  Naturally, your name will not be shared in accordance with our Top Secret / Eyes Only clearance!  

 

Enjoy your Day!