Cathedral City Police Coordinating Multi-Agency Response Ahead of Mongols Motorcycle Club Gathering

CATHEDRAL CITY — The Cathedral City Police Department is coordinating with multiple law enforcement agencies ahead of a Mongols Motorcycle Club gathering at the DoubleTree by Hilton Golf Resort Palm Springs, expected Friday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 20,

The U.S. Department of Justice identifies the Mongols Motorcycle Club as an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The gathering is a private booking arranged directly between the organizers and the privately owned resort. The City of Cathedral City did not invite this group, did not welcome this gathering, and was given no say in the decision to hold it here. The City is not a sponsor, host, or participant, and played no role in arranging it.

“We did not ask for this, and we would not have chosen it,” said City Manager Andrew Firestine. “But a private business made a private booking, and our job now is to make sure this community is protected. That is exactly what we are doing.”

“This is a documented outlaw motorcycle gang, and we are treating it that way,” said Police Chief Rick Sanchez. “We have been planning for this alongside our regional partners, and residents will see an increased law enforcement presence. That presence reflects preparation, not alarm. Anyone who breaks the law here will be held accountable, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.”

The Police Department is working with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and neighboring municipal agencies, and there will be a strong law enforcement presence in Cathedral City over the weekend. A similar regional effort was undertaken when roughly 1,000 club members gathered in Palm Springs in October 2025. The Police Department has coordinated closely with the City of Palm Springs on its management of past events.

Police Department leadership is meeting with the Desert Princess Homeowners Association to discuss the department’s preparations directly with residents closest to the resort.

Residents should call 911 to report emergencies or criminal activity in progress, and the Cathedral City Police Department’s non-emergency line at (760) 770-0300 for all other concerns.