Police Chief Replies

"YOUR LETTER DIRECTED TO MAYOR GEORGE CHRISTOPHER ENCLOSING THE COPY OF THE LADDER (AUGUST ISSUE) HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO MY ATTENTION FOR ANSWER.

"WE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE WELL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE LAW PROHIBITS A LIQUOR LICENSEE FROM CHOOSING HIS OWN CLIENTELE. ME ARE ALSO EQUALLY AWARE THAT LIQUOR LICENSEES HAVE IMPOSED UPON THEM BY LAW THE DUTY TO CONDUCT THEIR PREMISES IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. THE FACT THAT ONE'S CLIENTELE IS MAINLY COMPOSED OF HOMOSEXUALS DOES NOT ENTITLE SUCH LICENSEE TO ANY SPECIAL PRIVILEGES, NOR LESSEN THIS DUTY.

"TO DELIBERATELY, ILLOGICALLY, AND WRONGFULLY IMPLY THAT TAVERNS ARE POLICED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CATER TO HOMOSEXUALS IS TO BLANDLY IGNORE THE REAL BASIS FOR SUCH POLICE SURVEILLANCE; NAMELY, THAT MANY OF THESE PREMISES ARE NOT CONDUCTED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER, AND AS SUCH ARE INIMICAL TO THE PUBLIC WELFARE AND MORALS.

"ANY ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY YOU BY WAY OF IMPROVING SUCH CONDUCT IN THE PREMISES IN QUESTION WILL BE APPRECIATED BY ME."

THOMAS J. CAHILL, CHIEF OF POLICE SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE CHIEF CAHILL'S TAKING TIME OUT TO REPLY TO OUR LETTER AND WISH HIM TO KNOW THAT IT IS NOT OUR INTENTION TO "HARASS" THE POLICE ON THIS QUESTION OF "GAY" BARS. WE DO NOT ASK FOR "LICENSE," NOR DO WE CONDONE INDECENT BEHAVIOR. ME DO ASK, HOWEVER, FOR A REALISTIC APPROACH TO THIS EVER-GROWING PROBLEM THAT THE "GAY" BAR IS HERE TO STAY, THAT "HOUSE RULES" AND A MODICUM OF POLICE INSPECTION ARE IN ORDER AND THAT A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE IS NECESSARY TO EFFECT AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. "DECORUM" IS THE WORD THAT CAVE OUT OF OUR CONVENTION DISCUSSION PERHAPS TOGETHER WE CAN FIND AN ACCEPTABLE DEFINITION,