POLICE COME TO TERMS WITH THE GAY COMMUNITY CONFRONTATION TO COOPERATION AND BACK

• NCJ Number: 64078
• Journal: Police Magazine Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 28-31,34-36
• Author(s): R SHILTS
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Criminal Justice Publications, Inc
• Sale Source: Criminal Justice Publications, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRICE QUOTED IS FOR SINGLE ISSUE REPRINTS OF ARTICLE AVAILABLE IN LARGE QUANTITIES

Annotation

BOTH HISTORICAL ATTITUDES OF AND MORE RECENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND GAY COMMUNITIES IN SEVERAL MAJOR U.S. CITIES ARE EXAMINED, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON GAYS' INCREASING POLITICAL POWER.

Abstract

GAYS ALWAYS HAVE FELT HARRASSED BY POLICE, BUT TRADITIONALLY KEPT THEIR FEELINGS TO THEMSELVES. THEY DID NOT REPORT MANY OVERT INCIDENTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY BECAUSE OF FEAR OF EXPOSURE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT. IN THE 1970'S, HOWEVER, HOMOSEXUALS GAINED CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL CLOUT DUE TO THEIR LARGE NUMBERS, PARTICULARLY IN SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK. POLICE, WHOSE ATTITUDES TOWARDS HOMOSEXUALS ARE INFLUENCED BY THE SEAMIER SIDE OF GAY ACTIVITIES (PUBLIC SEX IN RESTROOMS AND ADULT THEATERS FOR EXAMPLE), ARE CONSTANTLY CRITICIZED BY THE GAY COMMUNITY. GAYS CHARGE THAT POLICE FOLLOW THEM OUT OF KNOWN HOMOSEXUAL ESTABLISHMENTS AND DETAIN THEM ON PETTY CHARGES OR REGULARLY RAID GAY BARS, FORCING LESS ACTIVIST GAYS BACK TO PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND THEATERS FOR MEETING PLACES. SEVERAL LOCAL INCIDENTS ILLUMINATE THE VOLATILE FEELINGS BETWEEN POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY THE 1979 RIOT AT SAN FRANCISCO'S CITY HALL FOLLOWING THE SENTENCING OF DAN WHITE, A CONSERVATIVE CITY POLITICIAN WHO HAD MURDERED THE FORMER CITY MAYOR AND HIS SUPERVISOR, A PROFESSED HOMOSEXUAL. OTHER CITIES TROUBLED BY THE GAY COMMUNITY/POLICE CONFLICT ARE CHICAGO, DENVER, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, AND HOUSTON. WORKING WITHIN THE NORMAL POLITICAL BOUNDARIES FOR ANTIDISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION, ORGANIZING TO PUT FORTH THEIR OWN CANDIDATES FOR POLITICAL OFFICE, AND DEMONSTRATING AGAINST WHAT THEY PERCEIVE TO BE UNREASONABLE POLICE HARRASSMENT, THE GAY COMMUNITIES IN MANY OF THESE CITIES HAVE EITHER CAUSED ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVED POLICE AND GAY COMMUNITY RELATIONS OR HAVE AT LEAST HELD THE POLICE AT BAY WITH THREATS OF RIOTS. RESULTS OF THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE HIRING OF PROFESSED HOMOSEXUALS AT SOME DEPARTMENTS, OPEN CONCESSIONS TO AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE COMPLAINTS OF GAYS BY CITY OFFICIALS, AND POLICE/GAY COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE EVENTS. (RFC)