October 1959 - San Francisco Police Officers Association

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The national and world-wide outburst of juvenile punkism has thrown a scare into every parent who cares at all about his family. Who can tell what is behind this terrifying situation? Every age has had its own problems. Historically the young people are the ones who started revolutions and move toward changes and social reforms. In Medieval times the young university students revolutionized teaching and learning. Young doctors and scientists have effected cures and scientific progress undreamed of twenty years ago. Obviously it is no crime to be young. Youth Has Its Fling Yet on the other side of the coin there were the undermining influence of young people on entire philosophies and ways of life. Early in this present century young people dared to shorten bathing suits and shook their elders by holding hands in public. In the "Roaring Twenties" flaming youth set the country on its ear. Could it be that the present trend of lawlessness on the part of youth is a complete rebellion against the nebulous results of two world wars and the Atomic Age? Juvenile violence has never been so wide-spread and vicious as it is now. Young people have and want more now than they ever did. Almost every boy in America has access to an automobile, the attraction of drinking is probably no more or less prevalent in these good times than it was during the depression. Money is probably one of the digits in the strange combination. Most policemen are parents. They are parents whose children face the "PUNK-ISM" What's the answer? By PETER GARDNER same problems and situations as any other group of youngsters. There is no law of nature which commands a policeman's child to conform to society and in the hearts of many policemen there is a dark spot caused by the conduct of his children who come from so-called good homes. Policemen cannot be sanctimonious about the youth problem. Punks and Hoods a Menace With a proper accent on constitutionality, which is the backbone of our life as a free people, there could be a return to public support of police work with juveniles. There is no need to impinge upon the basic freedom of any American and yet there is a crying need to curb the flash flood of punks and hoodlums. Gangs who identify themselves by wearing distinctive garments which mark them as a group apart from society should be treated as they conduct themselves. If they make trouble for others, trouble should be made for them. A return to the old-fashioned police work where a well-placed shoe to the posterior of the young offender was employed. There are men who are now over thirty who can remember the feel of leather against the seat of their pants. Men who learned to respect the policeman or stand in awe if not in respect of what he stood for. Today such an act on the part of the police officer trying to do his job judiciously would bring about the noisome reign of chaos and law suit-itis. The air would fill with the cries of ASSOCIATION MINUTES - (from pare 3) Anthony Rodriguez of that company appointed to his place. Cole was praised by Chairman McKee for his service to the Association. M/S that members of the recruit class now in the Academy be granted membership in this Association for the rest of this fiscal year at no dues. Passed. Good of the Order: October meeting was Candidates Night and Turkey Drawing Night. Every effort should be made to stimulate attendance at every meeting. M/S that the meeting adjourn. Passed. Meeting adjourned at 10:20 P.M. in respect to the memories of our departed brothers. Respectfully submitted, Peter C. Gardner, Secretary social workers and parents who know that "these are really good boys"; the office of the County Clerk would be deluged with certificates of intent to file civil suits and the Civil Liberties Union would be rampant on its high horse. Tom Jefferson and his constituents never meant that people should run rough shod over the law. No, they intended that this would be a nation of law wherein all could live in peace and harmony. But sessions by session, law by law, assemblies and senates and the very Congress of the United States have pulled the teeth of law enforcement to the point that law enforcement is now an old lion who can no longer bite but must gum its opponents into submission. Respect Must Be Taught A long look should be taken into our system of courts and juries, particularly where children are concerned. Take a fifteen-year-old whose sole purpose at that time it to tell the world to go to Hell. Show him just how far he can go with this attitude. Show him that our property is not a target against which he can take out his grudge against the world. Put the shoe back on the foot of law enforcement. Put some teeth into the lion's mouth and put a little down-toearth common sense into the mind of the community. Finally, let the courts handle young criminals as they would any other criminal. Any movement of this type would outflank the movement toward violence by the young people and slow it down, if not stop it. Civic Center Garage COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS TOWING and STORAGE Radio Dispatched -Day and Night 930 COLE STREET Tel.: MOntrose 1-2100 SAN FRANCISCO POLICE
The 1959 State Legislature made provisions for re-coding and re-org:inizing the Vehicle Code and the radical change caused quite a Hit of consternation among policemen. Probably the most noticeable change in the numbering of the sections. Many of us, who have learned the old numbers to the point of being able to handle the code pretty well, are a hit afraid of the new five digit numbers. It does seem a hit unwieldly but maybe on second look it will be more convenient for quick reference. Simpler Format Mr. Ben Miller, the manager of the Motor Vehicle branch office at 160 South Van Ness Avenue, stated that he believes that the new format will prove a lot easier for all concerned. It will simplify finding specific sections as they are now in a more logical sequence and it will just be a case of our learning to work with the new numbering. Director of Traffic Zaragoza issued the followng statement: "The plans for recodifying the Vehicle Code were laid in 1955. The major purpose of the revision was to accomplish a much needed improvement in organization and the sequence of the Code." Code Kept Growing For over 20 years the scope of the Code's application has been widely expanded by the amendment process resulting in modification of the original sequence of provisions and an increase in the size of the book from a volume of less than 200 pages to one of nearly 500 pages. Clarification by reorganization of the system of numbering sections and transfer of many provisions to more appropriate contexts had become an immediate necessity. There was an attempt to eliminate technical and legal terminology and thus make the reading of the Code simpler for the layman. The table of disposition and the table of derivation will he invaluable to the police officer attempting to learn the new section numbers. The Traffic Bureau throu gh the C.S.A.A. has printed and distributed cross index cards for your use. If you have not received one, contact the Traf - fic Bureau. New Changes Cited Read your new code as there are Some radical changes in '59 vehicle code "Now let me see .. what is that new section number?" Motorcycle Officer Hobert Nelson does a little brushing up on the new five-digit section numbers of the recently-revised Vehicle Code. some changes which directly affect your daily contact with the motoring public. Especially Section 22651 which no longer gives you the right to tow or store a vehicle merely because you have made an arrest as did 585.h.5 of the old code. The auto must now he left in the street except when it will obstruct traffic. Here are some of the changes as explained in General Order No. 59 of 9/16: Sec. 22i49 - Maximum speed limit. (Note: This section will not become effective until January 1, 1960.) This section provides that no person shall drive any motor vehicle upon a hi ghway in excess of 65 miles per hour. Sections which became effective September 19, 1959: New "Slow-poke" Law See. 22400 Minimum speed law. Authorizes the Department of Public Works to establish and post minimum vehicle speed limits for registered vehicles on the basis of engineering and traffic surveys. Motorists will be re- (Continued on Page 6) Our Compliments WEYERHAEUSER STEAMSHIP COMPANY The Pacific Coast Direct Line San Francisco New York Los Angeles Tacoma Seattle OCTOBER, 1959 5.
Page 1 and 2: OFFICIAL PUBLICATION SAN FRANCISCO
Page 3: Minutes of the Police Association m
Page 7 and 8: c-z- WAYBACK 211L) MACHINE k St 1-
Page 9 and 10: EVENTS 0 Writer and filmmaker Tariq
Page 11 and 12: 91st Division medal - 30 years of t
Page 13 and 14: THE POTRERO - policing a potpourri
Page 15: Mr. Peter C. Garth4ier 683 Miramar

October 1959 - San Francisco Police Officers Association

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