The Honolulu Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii • 5

c- i Homosexuals hold 'rap session' with vice squad officer HMWSCOVHHS'MY fca tfHa at aatwarUty, Cilamaai rilulaalIHa4aH. "niiiiDir YOW COUNCILMAN CwwcIIhmw Frank W.C. La CASUS By DAVID TONG Advertir Staff Writer CLASSIFIED ADS 5219111 I ioo if 0 1 jsx rfi5J vxzi iuY.uafluuu ux MO. 3.9S... IWGAl t8" PUMPKIN PIE 156 RIO.

1.95.................... SPIC1AI (IXHtlS OCT. 11, 1977) rauaauoutouiananifiura 1 SO HUM ST. 1 1 STH AVINUI HONS SJ1-31S1 MOM 74-370 For Advertising Agency Sales -525 -7651 (Df II I 1 1 I 111 7 "Will they show up?" That's the question people at the Sexual Identity Center were asking last week shortly before a "gay rap session" with a member of the Honolulu Police Department's vice division. William Woods, executive director of the center, said they had good reason to worry, since the police on two occasions In the past two years had declined invitations to speak at the center.

By 8 p.m., however, Lt. Robert Hansen, a member of the HPD's morals detail, was on hand. The public education forum, Woods said, had been scheduled in the hopes of improving relations between tht gay community and police. "Gays have negative feelings of the vice squad, and there is a feeling (among gays) that attitude is mutual," said Woods. He said the meeting would help give gays a greater understanding of the vice squad and its functions.

Not all the questions put to Hansen during the two-hour session were answered to the satisfaction of the participants. But there was a general feeling among those attending that a milestone had been achieved by just having Hansen there. People stood up at the end of the meeting to thank him for coming; others shook his hand as they filed out the door. Hansen started the session talking about his background as a police officer and the functions of the vice squad. He said he had been with the HPD for 15 years, as an officer in the juvenile crime prevention detail and vice division.

He told the group of about 30 that he was familiar with the problems of homosexuals. Questioning at the outset focused on the police approach to arrests of people who commit sex acts in such public areas as parks, public rest rooms and school grounds. Hansen, speaking from his own experience, said he would look for two factors before making an arrest the age of the participants and whether the act was committed in a public or private place. A male adult, he said, can be arrested if he is having sexual relations with a person who is under 18. The severity of the offense, he added, varies with the age of the juvenile and the circumstances of the crime.

Several. asked Hansen what the definition of a public place was. Would the police, one person asked, consider a park a public place if two persons hid behind a bush in such a way that it would be difficult for anyone to find them except with a flashlight? Technically, it's against the law, Hansen said. But he added, "If it was me, I'll just take down their names and tell them to find another place." Hansen said the names are kept in the officer's notebook in the event they might be useful in connection with any possible investigation of a crime arising from the incident. He said the names are not kept permanently on a list and are usually disregarded afterward.

Hansen said a private place "means just what it means in a room where the curtains are drawn." There were also complaints from the audience of police harassment of gays. "If someone Is going through Kapiolanl Park, the first question an officer asks is whether you are a homosexual. Is there a reason for that?" someone asked. Hansen admitted that might be a wrong approach for police to take. He also said it was not a policy of the police department to entrap gays.

Another person asked what would happen if he "went down to Kala-kaua Avenue dressed in drag. Would you leave me alone? Replied Hansen: "Why should we bother you? There are women with bikinis in Waikiki, and we don't arrest them." In answer to another query about repeated harassment of gays by a few officers, Hansen told the group to turn over "signed documented statements" to the police department. He said the department would take steps to remove an officer from the force If too many complaints are received against him. Hansen also told the group that because of the rising crime rate, police are warning people to avoid trouble by keeping away from parks and beaches at night. One woman wondered whether this was a wise policy, whether police were placing "more energy" on the prevention of crime than on dealing with the criminal offender.

Another person, who lived in San Francisco, said police there have encouraged all officers who are gay to come out and admit they are gay without fear of reprisal. According to one news report, San Francisco Police Chief Charles Gain has encouraged any officers on his force who may be gay to admit it in public. He assured them the full protection of his office. So far no one has taken up the offer. The International Association of Chiefs of Police went on record Thursday last week as opposing the employment of homosexuals as police officers, according to a United Press International report.

Police Chief Edward Davis of Los Angeles, the outgoing president of the association, said the resolution is In line with a new Supreme Court ruling that permits school boards to dismiss homosexual teachers. "The importance of a policeman' being someone people can relate to rather precludes someone who is an open, obvious, ostentatious homosexual," Davis said. Honolulu Deputy Police Chief Eugene Fletcher said later that the selection of police officers is made from a list of qualified candidates from the Civil Service list. "And that's all I have to say on the matter," he said. Hansen said the Honolulu and San Francisco police departments oper-! ate along different lines.

He said he knew of no gays on the police force in Honolulu and he said it would affect morale if there were any. Asked several times how the employment of gays as police officers would hurt morale, Hansen said he felt It just "wasn't right." That comment brought a retort from one person, who said, "I can see you can feel not being comfortable with homosexuals. I don't like women." ffl si Wjtojfcf wpMfW Colorado, while our population (about 16.5 million) is eight times as great. Premier Chiang Ching-kuo is convinced that the continuing cooperation and mutual trust of our two nations is imperative in safeguarding Asian Pacific security and assuring world peace. Robert Pattridge, editorial page director of the Denver Post recently wrote: of China) Taiwan represents the fortunes of decent human beings who desperately want to maintain dignity, freedom and friendship with the United I i 'Wl I LJ L-Jt Yen Chia-Kan President Chiang Ching-kuo Premier Birthdays are to be shared with good friends.

Monday, October 10, 1977, our "Double Tenth." marks the 66th anniversary of the Republic of Cl)ina. look to our good friends in Hawaii to join with us in our traditional national observance. We and the American people share a mutual love for peace and freedom. Our technological development and prosperity has astonished and delighted many world economists. Americans helped make this possible.

Since 1967, our world trade has grown from SI. 4 billion (USS) to SI 5.7 billion last year, a 30,8 per cent annual growth rate. The United States is our best export market and we rank 12th among U.S. trading partners. As one writer put it.

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