Who we are - Membership Requirements

WHO ARE THE BLUE KNIGHTS?

The Blue Knights started in April 1974, when a small group of Bangor-Brewer, Maine, Law Enforcement officers organized a local recreational motorcycle club. In the years following, the organization mushroomed into an International Motorcycle Club with Chapters in the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Belgium, England, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The Blue Knights have been very active throughout these countries on fund-raising projects such as Heart Fund, Cystic Fibrosis, Ronald McDonald House, children's wards in hospitals, nursing homes, Abused Women and Children, Handicapped Children's Camps, Cerebral Palsy, and many other charities too numerous to mention. At last tally, the Blue Knights had donated over $1,000,000 to charity.

The Blue Knights joins law enforcement personnel around the world in a fraternal organization that includes federal, state, provincial, county and local police, all of whom enjoy recreational motorcycling. The Blue Knights are dedicated to improving the motorcycling image, promote safety and promote motorcycling as a family recreation and just having fun.

REWARDS OF KNIGHTHOOD

If you are wondering what makes the Blue Knights so special, perhaps the following will explain the kinds of feelings that flow when a bunch of motorcycle-riding police officers get together.

Knighthood is:

Enjoying the company of different people who share not only the common bond of law enforcement but also the love of motorcycles.

Being able to visit your friends in any of our member countries and be treated like family.

Receiving get-well cards from people you've never met. (There are no strangers in the Blue Knights, only friends you haven't met yet.)

Riding with the Ladies of the Knights who give that added family touch.

Going to handicapped children’s' camps, giving the kids rides, and having fun with them.

Being a Blue Knight is all of this and much more. If you are interested in our group and would like to know more about us, call:

 

Blue Knights International

Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Inc.

International Headquarters

38 Alden Street

Bangor, Maine 04401

Phone: (207)947-4600

Fax: (207-947-5814

Who Qualifies?

All persons who are full or part time police officers with powers of arrest and are paid by a governmental agency. The person must own a motorcycle or anticipate obtaining a motorcycle within 6 months. Any person who is retired from a full-time Law Enforcement Agency. Any person receiving a disability income from a Law Enforcement Agency. Each member must be properly licensed to drive a motorcycle.

Membership Classifications

 

Section 1. Regular Members

All regular members must be persons who are full-time (32 hours per week minimum) employees of a governmental law enforcement agency or department. Such employment must be the primary source of employment of all regular members. All regular members must have arrest authority.

Persons receiving disability income or job reclassification due to injuries received while engaged in law enforcement employment or who are receiving retirement income for full-time employment, as herein defined, by a governmental law enforcement agency or department are eligible for regular membership although they are not presently employed by such a law enforcement agency or department.

Persons who have served twenty (20) years or more and have been a Blue Knight for one (1) year or more, who have taken a retirement option and have taken a separation from law enforcement employment under honorable circumstances, and will at some time receive retirement income for full-time employment, as herein defined, by a government law enforcement agency or department are eligible for regular membership although they are not presently employed by such a law enforcement agency or department. The person must provide letters of proof of honorary separation from all departments.

Persons who are presently regular members for one (1) year or more and have served fifteen (15) years or more with a law enforcement agency or department who have for any honorable circumstance, taken a separation from an agency or department are eligible for associate membership although they may not be employed by a law enforcement agency or department. The person must provide letters of proof of honorable separation from all departments.

Persons who are presently regular members for five (5) years or more and have served ten (10) years or more with a law enforcement agency, who have for any honorable circumstance taken a separation from their agency, are eligible for associate membership even though they are no longer employed by a law enforcement agency. The person must provide proof of honorable separation.

Each regular member must be properly licensed to drive a motorcycle by the state or province in which he or she resides and must own a motorcycle, excepting, however, that persons who otherwise qualify as regular members, but do not own motorcycles, may become members is they have plans to won a motorcycle and do in fact acquire ownership rights in a motorcycle within six (6) months of their acceptance as members.

Any regular member who because of an injury or medical or physical condition is unable to continue riding a motorcycle may retain his/her membership as a regular member.

Section 2. Associate Members

All associate members must be persons who are employed on a part time basis (less than 32 hours per week, minimum 10 hours per year) by a governmental law enforcement agency or department and receiving monetary compensation for such employment. All associate members must have arrest authority. Any associate member on May 24, 1983 shall have the right to continue as an associate member if he or she meets all other requirements.

Persons who have been employed on a part time basis (less than 32 hours per week, minimum 10 hours per year) by a government law enforcement agency or department for fifteen (15) years or more and have been a Blue Knight for five (5) years or more, who have taken an honorable separation from his or her law enforcement agency or department (reasons: health, retirement, age or injury) are eligible for associate membership although they may not be employed by any law enforcement agency or department, and are not receiving retirement compensation. They must provide letters of proof of honorable separation.

Each associate member must be properly licensed to drive a motorcycle by the state or province in which he or she resides and must own a motorcycle, excepting, however, that persons who otherwise qualify as associate members, but do not own motorcycles, may become members if they have plans to own a motorcycle and they do in fact acquire ownership rights in a motorcycle within six (6) months of their acceptance as members.

Any associate member, who because of an injury or medical or physical condition is unable to continue riding a motorcycle, may retain his or her membership as an associate member.

Section 3. Honorary Members

Honorary members must be persons who have substantially contributed to the promotion of the Corporation and to the purposes for which the Corporation is organized. Honorary membership in any given chapter may not exceed more than 10% of the previous years' membership of Regular, Associate and Life members.