Police Chief Responds to Inquiry from Media Executive
Dublin Core
Title
Police Chief Responds to Inquiry from Media Executive
Description
Evander Smith and Herb Donaldson collection.
Source
Repository: San Francisco Public Library
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Page 1: January 8, 1965
Mr. Clifford Anchor, Director-General
The North-American Broadcasting Corp.
The Jackson Building
1929 Irving Street
San Francisco, California
Dear Mr. Anchor:
I certainly appreciate hearing from you in connection with the subject matter contained in your recent letter, and in connection therewith, may I at this point state that I have nothing but respect for all men of the cloth; however, in the interest of objectivity, the following I know will be of interest to you.
This department, by virtue of law, is obligated to uphold and enforce the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, and to take whatever steps necessary to eliminate causes of violations, and, as well, to take steps when necessary to diligently inform against and prosecute persons who may commit violations of the liquor laws. This department is bound by law and has been asked by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to give assistance in the enforcement of such laws affecting the dispensing of liquor in order that some of the present and future problems relating to same might be eliminated. In fact, the duty is so clearly spelled out that if an officer refused or neglected to take such steps, he might well be guilty of a misdemeanor.
As part of the event in question, liquor was dispensed and consumed on the premises in question under a license duly and properly issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control of this state.
Page 2: Members of this department, by virtue of the fact that they are peace officers, are duly bound and charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, and in order to fulfill and exercise such responsibility have been specifically empowered under the law to visit and inspect the premises of any licensee during the time within the liquor privilege so authorized is in operation.
In view of the foregoing, it is unquestionable that the acts of certain persons who restrained police officers from entering the indicated locale certainly were not in the public interest, and were in fact contrary to the established law. Certainly once legally within the premises, members of this department were not required to blind themselves to obvious violations of the law, and arrests effected by them were consistent with the obligations placed upon us.
To characterize the fulfillment of a legal obligation, or to make it synonymous with harassment is manifestly unfair.
Once again, your interest in this matter was certainly appreciated, and I am sure that once all the facts pertaining to this case are fully aired in court, a fuller understanding of the problems that confront this department will be more readily understood.
Very truly yours,
Thomas J. Cahill
Chief of Police
Mr. Clifford Anchor, Director-General
The North-American Broadcasting Corp.
The Jackson Building
1929 Irving Street
San Francisco, California
Dear Mr. Anchor:
I certainly appreciate hearing from you in connection with the subject matter contained in your recent letter, and in connection therewith, may I at this point state that I have nothing but respect for all men of the cloth; however, in the interest of objectivity, the following I know will be of interest to you.
This department, by virtue of law, is obligated to uphold and enforce the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, and to take whatever steps necessary to eliminate causes of violations, and, as well, to take steps when necessary to diligently inform against and prosecute persons who may commit violations of the liquor laws. This department is bound by law and has been asked by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to give assistance in the enforcement of such laws affecting the dispensing of liquor in order that some of the present and future problems relating to same might be eliminated. In fact, the duty is so clearly spelled out that if an officer refused or neglected to take such steps, he might well be guilty of a misdemeanor.
As part of the event in question, liquor was dispensed and consumed on the premises in question under a license duly and properly issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control of this state.
Page 2: Members of this department, by virtue of the fact that they are peace officers, are duly bound and charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, and in order to fulfill and exercise such responsibility have been specifically empowered under the law to visit and inspect the premises of any licensee during the time within the liquor privilege so authorized is in operation.
In view of the foregoing, it is unquestionable that the acts of certain persons who restrained police officers from entering the indicated locale certainly were not in the public interest, and were in fact contrary to the established law. Certainly once legally within the premises, members of this department were not required to blind themselves to obvious violations of the law, and arrests effected by them were consistent with the obligations placed upon us.
To characterize the fulfillment of a legal obligation, or to make it synonymous with harassment is manifestly unfair.
Once again, your interest in this matter was certainly appreciated, and I am sure that once all the facts pertaining to this case are fully aired in court, a fuller understanding of the problems that confront this department will be more readily understood.
Very truly yours,
Thomas J. Cahill
Chief of Police
Citation
“Police Chief Responds to Inquiry from Media Executive”, The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed May 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/crh/item/1782.