Enforcer: The Real Story of One of Australia's Most Feared Outlaw Bikers

by Donna Campbell, Caesar Campbell, Dave Ferguson (Narrator)

Among members of the outlaw motorcycle clubs, Caesar Campbell is a legend. Former sergeant-at-arms and chief enforcer for the Comancheros, Caesar became the founding member and sergeant-at-arms of the Australian chapter of the Bandidos. He epitomised bikie culture - unbeatable in a fight, brutal in the extreme, fearing no one and nothing, and loyal until death. This is Caesar's story, from his recruitment into the Comancheros, to the savage split within the club that led to the foundation of the Bandidos and the bloody massacre at Milperra that resulted from it. Enforcer is a unique and captivating true-crime story that will shock you with its raw violence, its brutality and its insights into an outlaw world.

Genres: Biography, True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, History

Audiobook

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Cate · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting if somewhat benign account of Colin Campbell's aka Caesar's history with omg in Australia. His fighting childhood extended into a fighting adulthood ie he never walked away from a blue & they were usually started by the other person. This was under the influence of his hard-as-nails father & his salt-of-the-earth mother - who produced a tribe of tough brothers. The book is co-written with his wife & hints at murkier & far more sinister goings on for an unnamed crime figure. Campbell was involved with a short lived gang known as the Gladiators, then became a Comanchero and then a Bandido. He presents a more mundane view of the infamous split within the Comancheroes that led to the establishment of the Bandidos & his account of the events at Milperra rather exonerates his club, although club members did significant jail terms for what transpired in the car park of the Viking Hotel that day. The thing I don't understand in all the biker literature I've read is just what "the Code" is - the question of why is just never really answered. Defend your colours. I suppose it's a tribalism at its very core. I was struck by the slightly rosy tint to the book, it's a little self-serving, as I guess is always going to be problematic in a biography. Few of us can actually be brutally honest about ourselves & our motivations. And I think that's what I don't quite understand - why live such a violent life? I'm not being flippant or dismissive, I just genuinely don't get it. Why does the brotherhood demand such violence? In terms of the writing -this isn't brilliantly written. It's readable but there's no real wit & the characters are all very two-dimensional. We never really get inside anyone's head. I think I expected more of this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book left me with questions:
How can one person get into so many fights and never start one of them?
What does he do for income?
How much of the real story has he left out?
My over riding thought was - this guy is such a loser.
A begnin account of a outlaw motorbike gang member but It’s worth a read. I listened on audio and thought the narrator was great.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook. Learning about the ins and outs of the outlaw bikie club world through the perspective of Caesar Campbell was so insightful. Caesar’s deep appreciation for his ‘old lady’ Donna really resounds through the whole story. He is a man with one hell of a story.

[Littlewolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Enforcer.
While I'm sure there was some selective memory involved in some of the stories, the book felt very authentic. It read like stories I have heard from family and kin. I appreciated how much the familial aspect and the traditions/mindsets of family were emphasized. It felt authentic to the familial experience in this culture.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, brutal and confronting, this is not for the squeamish.
I've known people like this.
The only issue I have is the lack of remorse shown by an obviously dangerous and damaged man. Brilliant read.

[ryan bowditch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heart of this man is second to none

I read this in one day. I could not put it down! This book shows the true definition of brotherhood.

[K.R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy read that strung together like a series of stories shared over several beers, non Australians might find some of the lingo hard to follow. There is some clear embellishment on some of the yarns and bravado but as a Sergeant At Arms speaking about his glory days - I wouldn’t expect any less and that’s fine with me.

Making up a martial art that “westerners” aren’t allowed to train in and claiming to be a 5th Dan Black Belt in it though, before the age of 30 nonetheless, was a very weird move. Book was written in 2010 and I guess Caesar wasn’t aware that every speck of info on Martial Arts is well documented, and there’s several ways to verify it.

I’ll read the follow up books in due time.

[Carly Keys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book for how well
It was written, and the honesty it shared, the hardest part for me to deal with was the lack of empathy for the young innocent girl that was shot in the crossfire, just didn’t sit well that he was so blaze about it!

The book was so self indulgent which was a little off
Putting!!! No modesty insight!

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a very interesting read from his perspective! Made me laugh, tear up and want to keep reading even after it was finished!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's OK, give some explanations of why someone would be so violent, or do such gruesome things. Narration is terrible hard to understand things.

[Cher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

[Julie Berzins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of Colin ‘Caesar’ Campbell as he starts out as a young fighter with a love for harleys, evolving into a bikie who starts and grows many of the OMCs today. Starting the Gladiators with his brothers they grew into a formidable gang. Joining up with the Commancheros under Jock Ross, he becomes their Seargent at Arms, taking pride in ensuring the safety & security of the club, loving a good fight but protecting the members & the families. As the club grows, so does tension within as Jock starts to train them like an army and be outwardly hostile to other OMCs. Speaking out causes a split, and Caesar starts the Banditos in Australia becoming their first patched member, but choosing to remain their SAA rather than president. This chapter of his story ends just after the Milperra massacre where the Banditos were ambused by Jock’s Comos & the police come down hard on all involved.

I am eagerly searching for the next instalment “Wrecking Crew”

Easy to read and told by Caesar himself in his own words (politically correct or not!)

[Jeffrey Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read but we're lucky if 25% is true. To begin with, the author presents outlaw bikers as if they are some sort of God's gift to humanity. Having read numerous books on the subject, written by ex-bikers, infiltrators ,journalists etc.., it is pretty clear that these people are antisocial scumbags, who throw a benefit party for handicapped kids every 6 months to massage the public opinion towards them.

But let's assume that Caesar - despite having a pickle jar with 30 something cut off fingers and some popped out eyeballs for trophy collection - is indeed the hooker with the heart of gold.
You tell the whole story or you don't, is my motto for non-fiction.
And here it becomes not credible.
Never does he talk about the source of income for the club. He drops a few lines about personally being an executioner for some crime boss without saying anything specific. Wouldn't be too smart of course, but he has no problems nailing other people to the cross for murder in his book.

He also writes that this story is before the current generation of bikers, a lot more innocent and more about just riding bikes together and having a good time, but then he talks about buying a 350.000 dollar clubhouse. Well, how does he explain how harmless anarchists who spend all their money on booze and their bikes can come up with money like that. He doesn't at all. The answer is of course selling drugs, B&E, extortion rackets and prostitution. But if you ask Caesar, they were all just brothers who liked to get into the occasional fistfight. The fistfight parts I think are the most credible parts of the book.

The Milperra massacre.... I do not believe for 1 second that after months of war with the Comancheros and after being attacked when riding with their old ladies and in their homes - 2 HUGE no no's - the Bandidos still only had 2 guns in their possession and were riding around happy go lucky after being ambushed several times. This would brand them as total retards and him being the biggest idiot Sgt at arms ever.

And then the story of the split... Jock was supposed to be having an affair with an old lady of a biker. This would have put paid to his entire career, even if they split into different chapters. But good old Caesar and a few others kept it a secret for the entire club, for the sake of the cuckolded brothers' feelings. Yeah right. 20 pages later, writing about some brother who got cheated on suddenly was no more problem.
He just put the story out the way he looked best and just brushed all dirty and low things committed by his side of the fence under the mat. Just Google some pictures of him and the people he mentions in his book and look up the more unbiased reports of the story.
Therefore as a credible story it fails miserably. As an entertaining read I give it a 7/10, which is OK.

[Ethan Card · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook version while driving from Auckland to QT. Smashed it out in a couple of days.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read such a frank and honest account of what the bikie lifestyle is about.

This book was a no holes barred story of Caesar's childhood to the beginning of the bikie groups he was involved in including the rather shocking and horrific Milperra shootings which happened when I was living in Sydney.

For those of us who have never been part of this lifestyle it was eye opening but also put to bed some misconceptions as well. I think it showed that no matter who you are or what you believe that true love, loyality and friendship endure.

a book written from the heart, easy to read and easy to relate to job well done Caesar and Donna :) HIghly recommended good read :)

[Neko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I overal enjoyed the book but at times it felt as if things were glossed over where more detail could have been given which is a shame. Sometimes I wonder what makes a person want to be in a biker gang and well perhaps this book will provide answers- For me it kinda did and kinda didn't.

I understand that brothood is very strong thing for these guys and I bet even stronger than some of their real family ties.

This book will shock, confront and keep you turning the pages to find out that little bit more about Caesar.

[Chandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me interested from start to finish. Small part of it was set in Melbourne and some incidents took place near my home so had me thinking what I was getting up to when all this was happening. It's little bit weighted on the punch up stories although I did find them interesting and although it gave you a good insight into the outlaw bikers' culture, you got the feeling the author was dodging getting into any details on the other elements such as heavy drugs and executions side of their lifestyles. Would've liked a deeper insight into this. It was a good light read.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I picked it up because I watched 'brothers in arms' on TV. I loved the style of the book as I really felt like l was just sitting down having a beer and a yarn with Caesar himself. There were a lot of similarities but also a lot of differences between the story told on TV and Caesar's story which I found interesting.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was BRILLIANT! I could NOT put it down. I read the entire book in less than 3 days. It's a gritty, amazingly captivating look into the brotherhood of an outlaw biker gang. I highly recommend reading it without allowing for any review spoilers.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty engrossing read and ultimately tragic account of the history of bikie gangs in New South Wales - Caesar Campbell has some pretty wild tales to tell...a must for any Sons of Anarchy fans - that's what sucked me in!

[Kim Hufton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice to see someone has the balls to tell the whole truth

[Kotoole1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting lifestyle, very violent but most of them (not all) seem like loyal and good people - just don't bother them and they won't bother you...

[Tim Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to read about Caesar's version of the events of the Father's Day fight between the two warring clubs. Highly recommend.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic view into the bikey world.

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those people who think becoming an Outlaw Bikie is filled with respect, adventure & a life you may want to persue......read this & think again.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ THIS BOOK!!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting and a background into the milperra massacre

[Dave Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book.