Biker Organization Adopts Local Child

At least 20 motorcycles rumbled through the streets on their way to the City Park on Saturday, where the tough-looking organization of bikers convened to hold a ceremony for a local child.

Each with “B.A.C.A.” printed on their bike’s windshields in red letters, and donning black leather vests with large, circular patches, the Bikers Against Child Abuse rolled through town with a police escort until they’d arrived at their destination.

“What we’re doing right now is what we call an adoption ceremony,” Sergeant at Arms Armando “Doughboy” Moncibais said. “We work with local state officials—police officers and CAC, Children’s Advocacy Center and what we do is they refer us families, kids that have been abused.”

A nonprofit that operates solely on donations, BACA is an international group that supports children who have been abused and works with them through the court dates and trials until the child ages out at 18 or feels they can manage on their own.

“The main purpose is we’re there,” Moncibais said. “We escort them to court, we are with them in court. A lot of the times the families get subpoenaed and they can’t be in there with the child, so that’s where we come in…we’re always around the child, no matter what. We’re there for their safety.”

In Texas alone, there are currently 28 active BACA chapters, who will protect and support children in their cities, as well as travel to other areas for support as well. On Saturday, members from El Paso, Weatherford, Fredericksburg and Waco joined those from two west Texas chapters covering everything from Odessa to Abilene.

Joining the group is a long and thorough process that involves stringent local and federal background checks, checks through CPS, and a one-year probationary period. Those who have felony charges, and history of crime involving children or violence, or who are behind on things like child support are not eligible to join.

“Even so, it doesn’t mean they get their back patch in a year,” Moncibais noted. “It’s up to the board to decide if we think they’re ready to be a member or not. It can be a year, it can be two years. It just depends.”

Children who are adopted by BACA must have a case number and be going to court, Moncibais explained, and the children are adopted on a referral-only basis.

“It all depends on the agencies that help out,” Moncibais said. “We don’t go up to families—we don’t go and solicit and say, ‘hey, we’re BACA. This is what we do.’ We work strictly with Children’s Advocacy Centers, DA’s office, CASA.”

The members will give presentations to local agencies and offer their services to be passed on to local families. If a family is referred and is interested, they’ll contact BACA and set up an initial interview to see if they meet the criteria.

“What we do is we call in an initial visit with the family, we interview the family, make sure they do meet our qualifications and everything and then we plan an adoption,” Moncibais explained. “Then what we do is we send out a group memo to all of our chapters all over Texas and let them know we’ve got an adoption on this date and whoever shows up, we get together.”

The official name for the adoption ceremony is a Level One. At Level Two, BACA becomes even more visible, offering a presence for a family in need.

“Let’s say the family is being threatened and the perp is getting closer and closer,” Moncibais said hypothetically. “We do get law enforcement together—San Angelo helps us a lot—but then we have a 24-hour watch on the house. There’s actual BACA members that will be on point and they’ll surround the house and make sure everything is fine.”

Kids ranging from 18 months to 17 years may be adopted by BACA, Moncibais explained, and each new adoptee is welcomed with his or her own BACA vest, blankets and the support of all the members.

Saturday’s adoption ceremony marked a first for San Angelo, Moncibais said, but the group has had several adoptions in Odessa, Midland, Snyder, Sweetwater and Abilene.

“We’re slowly starting to come over,” Moncibais said.

Aside from offering protection and support, BACA holds two annual events for their adopted children, including a Christmas party and a summer party for children in each region.

“We’re there to empower them,” Moncibais said. We work together, you know, we’re pretty much a family. We do a lot of stuff for the kids. There’s one phrase that I always like to use. I always say, ‘It’s not about me. It’s not about you, it’s all about the kids.’ That’s what we’re there for.”

For more on BACA, visit texas.bacaworld.org.