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148-550: Anton Szandor LaVey (born Howard Stanton Levey ; April 11, 1930 – October 29, 1997) was an American author, musician, and LaVeyan Satanist . He was the founder of the Church of Satan , the philosophy of LaVeyan Satanism , and the concept of Satanism . He authored several books, including The Satanic Bible , The Satanic Rituals , The Satanic Witch , The Devil's Notebook , and Satan Speaks! In addition, he released three albums, including The Satanic Mass , Satan Takes

296-469: A KPIX-TV television producer and other "stunned" bystanders. SFPD officers did not respond to the scene until four hours later, by which time the store had closed and no one was present to make a report about the incident. The San Francisco Police Department is led by a Chief of Police who is appointed by the Mayor of San Francisco. The chief works with two assistant chiefs and five deputy chiefs directing

444-601: A new religious movement . When used, "Rational Satanism" is often employed to distinguish the approach of the LaVeyan Satanists from the "Esoteric Satanism" or " Theistic Satanism ", embraced by groups like the Temple of Set , and Joy of Satan Ministries . A number of religious studies scholars have also described it as a form of "self-religion" or "self-spirituality", with religious studies scholar Amina Olander Lap arguing that it should be seen as being both part of

592-562: A psychic investigator , looking into "800 calls" referred to him by SFPD. Later biographers questioned whether LaVey ever worked with the SFPD, as there are no records substantiating the claim. During this period, LaVey was friends with a number of writers associated with Weird Tales magazine; a picture of him with George Haas, Robert Barbour Johnson , and Clark Ashton Smith appears in Blanche Barton 's biography The Secret Life of

740-479: A " gentleman " . In responding to threats and harm, he urged that "if a man smite thee on the one cheek, smash him on the other", reversing the Biblical Christian teaching and promoted the principle of lex talionis (an eye for an eye ) derived from Ragnar Redbeard's book Might is Right . LaVeyan Satanism places great emphasis on the role of liberty and personal freedom. LaVey believed that

888-525: A "legitimate, conventional, and nonthreatening religious entity", at least in the United States (according to researchers Taub and Nelson). As "establishment" Satanists they are hedonistic and self-centered, but are not sanctioned by the law provided they appear to be operating within the law. Mainstream modern society has lost belief in the supernatural and so "find it difficult to take seriously" those who in an earlier era might have been burned at

1036-480: A "reactive" mode (that is, reacting to 911 emergency calls)—meaning that it was no longer able to pursue violations of most traffic laws (especially infractions). From 2016 to 2023, the annual number of traffic tickets issued by SFPD fell by 96 percent, from 129,597 to 5,080. That month, a Walgreens pharmacy in Civic Center was "ransacked" for a lengthy period of time by at least seven people in front of

1184-454: A "top notch" task force, called CR ime U nit to S top H omicide, to solve and suppress the murders and investigate violent illegal narcotics cell groups and other violent crimes. Inspector Bob McMillan, Officer Nash Balinton and his partner Officer Paul Lozada, Officer Mike Bolte, Officer Michael Philpott, and Sergeants John Monroe, Maurice Edwards and Kervin Silas, were personally selected to

1332-538: A Holiday , and Strange Music . He played a minor on-screen role and served as technical advisor for the 1975 film The Devil's Rain and served as host and narrator for Nick Bougas ' 1989 mondo film Death Scenes . Historian of Satanism Gareth J. Medway described LaVey as a "born showman", with anthropologist Jean La Fontaine describing him as a "colourful figure of considerable personal magnetism". The academic scholars of Satanism Per Faxneld and Jesper Aagaard Petersen described LaVey as "the most iconic figure in

1480-604: A Satanist by Blanche Barton , published in 1990. Due to James Madole 's opposition to Christianity , he sought new religious ideas and was attracted to a merging of fascism and Satanism that led to an alliance between LaVey and Madole. Black Sun by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke states, "James Wagner, a former Security Echelon (SE) commander, recalls that relations between the NRP and the Church of Satan, founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey, were cordial. Madole and LaVey frequently met at

1628-531: A Satanist . LaVey and Carole divorced in 1960, after LaVey became involved with Diane Hegarty . Hegarty and LaVey never married, but she was his companion for 24 years and mothered his second daughter, Zeena Galatea Schreck ( née LaVey) (born in 1963). At the end of their relationship, Hegarty sued for palimony . Anton Lavey became a local celebrity in San Francisco through his paranormal research and live performances as an organist, including playing

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1776-480: A Western Addition housing project. The SWAT team also executes high-risk warrants in the City and County of San Francisco. They are also one of the oldest serving agencies doing city crime suppression (the act of saturating high-crime areas with large numbers of officers and police presence—a more proactive approach) along with LAPD SWAT and NYPD Emergency Service Units . The San Francisco Housing Authority Police

1924-479: A belief in magic . Rather than characterising magic as a supernatural phenomenon, LaVey portrayed it as part of the natural world but appearing magical because it had not been discovered and explained by scientists. Outlined in The Satanic Bible , LaVey defined magic as "the change in situations or events in accordance with one's will, which would, using normally accepted methods, be unchangeable",

2072-669: A brief affair with then-unknown Marilyn Monroe while playing organ in Los Angeles burlesque houses, stating that she was a dancer at the Mayan Theater at the time. This was challenged by those who knew Monroe then, as well as the manager of the Mayan, Paul Valentine, who said she had never been one of his dancers, nor had the theater ever been used as a burlesque house. According to his biography, LaVey moved back to San Francisco. LaVey met Carole Lansing in 1950, and they married

2220-658: A central figure was intentionally symbolic. LaVey sought to cement his belief system within the secularist world-view that derived from natural science , thus providing him with an atheistic basis with which to legitimized his religion, and criticize Christianity and other supernaturalist beliefs as irrational. He defined Satanism as "a secular philosophy of rationalism and self-preservation (natural law, animal state), giftwrapping these ideas in religious trappings to add to their appeal." In this way, LaVeyan Satanism has been described as an "antireligious religion" by Rubin van Luijk. If man insists on externalizing his true self in

2368-551: A character apparently modeled on SFPD's real-life chief at that time, Thomas J. Cahill , to whom the book is dedicated. More recently, Collin Wilcox wrote a long series featuring Lieutenant Frank Hastings of SFPD's Homicide Detail. Laurie R. King won an Edgar for her first novel, A Grave Talent (1993), which introduced Homicide Inspector Kate Martinelli, who has gone on to headline such books as With Child (1997), an Edgar nominee, and The Art of Detection (2006), winner of

2516-446: A clear-eyed appreciation of true human nature, a love of ritual and pageantry, and a flair for mockery, LaVey's Satanic Bible promulgated a gospel of self-indulgence that, he argued, anyone who dispassionately considered the facts would embrace." The "central convictions" of LaVeyan Satanism are formulated into three lists, which are regularly reproduced within the Church of Satan's written material. The Nine Satanic Statements are

2664-400: A company, with a complement of 40 Reserve Officers divided into three squads, each with a designated squad sergeant. For special events like New Year's Eve, Halloween night, and other citywide events, Reserves are assigned as a squad. Before Reserve candidates are considered, they must meet the same eligibility criteria as a Q-2 Police Officer Recruit. Furthermore, each candidate must completed

2812-481: A core ideal. These sins , published by LaVey in 1987, outline characteristics Satanists should avoid: Pentagonal Revisionism is a plan consisting of five major goals written in 1988 by LaVey: LaVeyan Satanism is "rational", without belief in a supernatural Satan, in stark contrast to the "Esoteric Satanism" or " Theistic Satanism " of groups like the Temple of Set , and Joy of Satan Ministries . Not all rational Satanists follow LaVey. The Satanic Temple (TST)

2960-572: A definition that reflects the influence of the British occultist Aleister Crowley . Although he never explained exactly how he believed that this magical process worked, LaVey stated that magicians could successfully utilise this magical force through intensely imagining their desired goal and thus directing the force of their own willpower toward it. He emphasised the idea that magical forces could be manipulated through "purely emotional" rather than intellectual acts. Challenging LaVey insistence that

3108-472: A far wider audience than they had previously had. In 1972, he published a sequel, The Satanic Rituals . The Satanic Bible has been in print since 1969 and has been translated into various languages. Lewis argued that although LaVeyan Satanists do not treat The Satanic Bible as a sacred text in the way many other religious groups treat their holy texts, it nevertheless is "treated as an authoritative document which effectively functions as scripture within

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3256-793: A feature-length documentary called Satanis in 1970. LaVey claimed that he had been appointed consultant to the film Rosemary's Baby , which revolved around a group of fictional Satanists, and that he also had a cameo appearance in the film as the Devil. However, critics have argued that none of this was true. In an article published in Rolling Stone magazine in 1991, the journalist Lawrence Wright revealed that through his own investigative work, he found that many of LaVey's claims about his life had been untrue. Two official biographies have been written on LaVey, including The Devil's Avenger by Burton H. Wolfe, published in 1974 and The Secret Life of

3404-500: A form of "anarchism of the Right". Randall Alfred describes LaVey's "stance" as "law-and-order, right-wing" and "patriotic". LaVey was influenced by the writings of Herbert Spencer (strongly associated with Social Darwinism and the expression "the survival of the fittest "), Friedrich Nietzsche (who opposed emphasis on mercy, charity, and helping the weak as a 'slave's morality'), and Ayn Rand (whose overarching philosophical theme

3552-492: A full-time Police Officer and serve at the pleasure of the Chief of Police. San Francisco has been known for their elite SWAT team, composed of volunteer and selected officers from the entire agency. Most training is done in-house, with occasional and required training by FBI instructors, other Federal Agencies and private Military instruction. The SWAT division participates in planned and coordinated raids with agencies such as

3700-440: A generation living in accordance with LaVeyan principles would come to power. LaVey supported eugenics and expected it to become a necessity in the future, when it would be used to breed an elite who reflected LaVey's "Satanic" principles. In his view, this elite would be "superior people" who displayed the "Satanic" qualities of creativity and nonconformity. He regarded these traits as capable of hereditary transmission, and made

3848-485: A gold star badge similar to lieutenants and above. Sergeants and officers wear a silver star badge. Inspectors were initially the equivalent of a lieutenant rank and pay, but are now equivalent to a sergeant rank and pay. Tenured officers will have blue and gold hash-marks on the lower left sleeve of their Class A, B, and C (BDU) long-sleeved shirts. Each mark represents five years of service. SFPD members are also eligible for bronze, silver, and gold Medals of Valor. Annually

3996-600: A group called the Order of the Trapezoid, which later evolved into the governing body of the Church of Satan. According to Faxneld and Petersen, the Church of Satan represented "the first public, highly visible, and long-lasting organisation which propounded a coherent Satanic discourse". Never one for theory, LaVey created a belief system somewhere between religion, philosophy, psychology, and carnival (or circus), freely appropriating science, mythology, fringe beliefs, and play in

4144-484: A handful of missions in the video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare , most notably they assist the military in stopping a van carrying drones to destroy the Golden Gate Bridge . Unfortunately they fail, resulting in the destruction of the bridge, pinning down an aircraft carrier. The main protagonist saves one SFPD sergeant from plunging to his death from the wreckage of the bridge. Most main protagonists of

4292-400: A happier and healthier society. Discussing women, LaVey argued that they should use sex as a tool to manipulate men, in order to advance their own personal power. Conversely, non-consensual sexual relations, such as rape and child molestation , were denounced by LaVey and his Church. LaVey believed that Christianity would soon wither away and society would enter an Age of Satan, in which

4440-482: A key concept in lesser magic is the "command to look", which can be accomplished by utilizing elements of "sex, sentiment, and wonder", in addition to the utilization of looks, body language, scents, color, patterns, and odor. This system encourages a form of manipulative role-play, wherein the practitioner may alter several elements of their physical appearance in order to aid them in seducing or "bewitching" on object of desire. LaVey developed "The Synthesizer Clock",

4588-497: A lifestyle". LaVey and the church espoused the view that "Satanists are born, not made"; that they are outsiders by their nature, living as they see fit, who are self-realized in a religion which appeals to the would-be Satanist's nature, leading them to realize they are Satanists through finding a belief system that is in line with their own perspective and lifestyle. Religious studies scholar R. Van Luijk writes, "Genealogically speaking, every known Satanist group or organization in

Anton LaVey - Misplaced Pages Continue

4736-547: A means to bring about personal transformation and transcendence; for LaVey the goal of magic was instead material gain, personal influence, to harm enemies, and to gain success in love and sex. LaVey divided his system of magic into greater and lesser magic . Greater magic being a form of ritual practice meant as psychodramatic catharsis to focus one's emotional energy for a specific purpose. These rites are based on three major psycho-emotive themes: compassion ( love ), destruction (hate), and sex (lust). The space in which

4884-690: A minimum of 24 volunteer hours per month to retain peace officers status, although there are Reserve Officers who routinely contribute two to three times that number. Reserve Officers are involved in many areas of police work. Although most reserve officers actively participate in patrol, others work for such details as Muni, the Fugitive Recovery Enforcement Team, Vice, juvenile, emergency operations, DUI check-points, transporting prisoners, Command Van duty, and fixed posts at special events like 49er Football games and Sigmund Stern Grove performances. Reserves are now organized like

5032-471: A murder investigation as the United Nations is meeting for the first time in San Francisco, finds himself pitted against an NKVD assassin. White Rabbit by David Daniels, set during 1967's Summer of Love , follows Homicide Inspector John Sparrow as he pursues a serial killer stalking the residents of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. A future version of the SFPD play a minor role in

5180-402: A negative force on humanity, by promoted idealism, self-sacrifice, altruism, community mindedness, self-denigration, herd behavior , and irrationality. Instead of (what it believed to be) these vices, LaVey encouraged materialism, egoism, carnality, atheism, social stratification and social Darwinism. LaVey's Satanism was particularly critical of what it understands as Christianity's emphasis on

5328-542: A number of instruments; his favorites were keyboards such as the piano and accordion . Anton played piano in a Baptist church as a boy, and played oboe in high school. He attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California , until the age of 16. LaVey claimed he left high school at age 16 to join the Clyde Beatty Circus and later carnivals , first as a roustabout and cage boy in an act with

5476-763: A philosophy based on individualism and egoism , coupled with Social Darwinism and anti-egalitarianism . LaVey valued success, not "evil for its own sake". Church doctrines are based on materialism and philosophical naturalism , rejecting the existence of the supernatural (including Satan and God), body-soul dualism , and life after death . However, LaVey also "hinted" at the possibility of paranormal forces, and believed magic could and should be used for material gain, personal influence, to harm enemies, and to gain success in love and sex. " Magic " in LaVeyan Satanism involves ritual practice meant as psychodramatic catharsis to focus one's emotional energy for

5624-545: A pinch of ritual magic." The historian of religion Mattias Gardell described LaVey's as "a rational ideology of egoistic hedonism and self-preservation", while Nevill Drury characterised LaVeyan Satanism as "a religion of self-indulgence". It has also been described as an "institutionalism of Machiavellian self-interest". The Church of Satan rejects the legitimacy of any other organizations who claim to be Satanists, dubbing them "Devil worshipers". Prominent Church leader Blanche Barton described Satanism as "an alignment,

5772-433: A potent mix. The core goal was always indulgence and vital existence, based on the devices and desires of the self-made man . Per Faxneld and Jesper Petersen. LaVey began presenting Friday night lectures on the occult and rituals. A member of this circle suggested that he had the basis for a new religion. According to LaVey himself, on Walpurgisnacht , April 30, 1966, he ritualistically shaved his head , allegedly "in

5920-470: A result of the success of the film Rosemary's Baby and the concomitant growth of interest in Satanism, an editor at Avon Books , Peter Mayer, approached LaVey and commissioned him to write a book, which became The Satanic Bible . While part of the text was LaVey's original writing, other sections of the book consisted of direct quotations from Arthur Desmond 's right-wing tract Might Is Right and

6068-590: A ritual is performed is known as an "intellectual decompression chamber", where skepticism and disbelief are willfully suspended, thus allowing the magicians to fully express their mental and emotional needs, holding back nothing regarding their deepest feelings and desires. This magic could then be employed to ensure sexual gratification, material gain, personal success, or to curse one's enemies. LaVey also wrote of "the balance factor", insisting that any magical aims should be realistic. These rituals are often considered to be magical acts, with LaVey's Satanism encouraging

Anton LaVey - Misplaced Pages Continue

6216-469: A scientific perspective on magic, LaVey was likely influenced by Crowley, who had also presented his approach to magic in the same way. However, in contrast to many older ceremonial magicians, LaVey denied that there was any division between black magic and white magic , attributing this dichotomy purely to the "smug hypocrisy and self-deceit" of those who called themselves "white magicians". He also differed from many older magicians who described magic as

6364-572: A set of nine assertions made by LaVey in the introductory chapters of The Satanic Bible . They are considered a touchstone of contemporary organized Satanism that constitute, in effect, brief aphorisms that capture Satanic philosophy. The first three statements touch on "indulgence", "vital existence" and "undefiled wisdom" which presents a positive view of the Satanist as a carnal, physical and pragmatic being, where enjoyment of physical existence and an undiluted view of this-worldly truth are promoted as

6512-560: A sniper on a rooftop before a murder was committed. The unit was reactivated in the late 1990s, but after another fatal crash (which killed two SFPD officers, Kirk Bradley Brookbush and James Francis Dougherty) the Aero unit was put into an "inactive" status indefinitely. In times where it needs air support, the SFPD contacts the California Highway Patrol who have a Napa air base. The original San Francisco Police Academy

6660-612: A specific purpose (called "greater magic" and very much resembling psychotherapy ); and also psychological manipulation using applied psychology and glamour (or "wile and guile" ) to bend another individual or a situation to one's will (called "lesser magic"). LaVey's followers in the Church of Satan maintain that he and the church "codified" Satanism, and while some Satanic splinter groups — such as John Dewey Allee's First Church of Satan and Karla LaVey 's First Satanic Church — follow LaVey's ideas, others do not. The Temple of Set embraces " Theist " supernatural Satanism, while

6808-520: A survey by James Lewis mentioning The Satanic Bible directly as influencing their conversion. For members of the church, the book is said to serve not only as a compendium of ideas but also to judge the authenticity of someone's claim to be a Satanist. LaVey's writings have been described as "cornerstones" within the church and its teachings, and have been supplemented with the writings of its later High Priest, Gilmore, namely his book, The Satanic Scriptures . The Satanic Bible has been described as

6956-765: A trilogy of police novels set in other parts of the Bay Area, retired San Jose Police Chief Joseph D. McNamara wrote one novel, Code 211 Blue (1996), about a narcotics inspector who uncovers corruption within the SFPD. Another former cop, Robin Burcell, who spent twenty years in law enforcement, first as an officer in the Lodi Police, then later as a criminal investigator for the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office , wrote four novels featuring Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie,

7104-487: Is "in many ways the central text of the Satanic milieu", with Lap similarly testifying to its dominant position within the wider Satanic movement. David G. Bromley calls it " iconoclastic " and "the best-known and most influential statement of Satanic theology." Eugene V. Gallagher says that Satanists use LaVey's writings "as lenses through which they view themselves, their group, and the cosmos." He also states: "With

7252-436: Is Right , LaVey stated that he did so in order to "immortalize a writer who had profoundly reached me". In 1972, the public work at LaVey's Black House in San Francisco was curtailed and work was continued via sanctioned regional "grottoes". In early 1975, LaVey announced that higher degrees of initiation could be given in return for a financial contribution. In June 1975, editor of the Church's newsletter, Michael Aquino, left

7400-423: Is also used for vehicle training exercises and mock police car chases , and Lake Merced is the location of the academy's firing range. With a boom in retirees in the coming years , a projected 700+ officers will be hired within the next five to ten years, meaning full academy classes for some time. Lateral officers are currently being hired, and are being hired on an ongoing basis. For 56 years, SFPD headquarters

7548-592: Is composed of Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycles. There is a separate division called Honda Unit, that is composed of Suzuki DR-Z400 S dual-sport motorcycles (which is under the command of the Special Operations Bureau and not the same as Traffic), for city patrol and patrol in and around the area of Golden Gate Park . Otherwise, every one of the 10 main police stations in the city have 2 motorcycles under their command, used for patrol around their districts exclusively. The SFPD "Aero" Squadron

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7696-686: Is dead". LaVey viewed the human being explicitly as an animal, existing in an amoral context of survival of the fittest , with no purpose other than survival. He believed that in adopting a philosophical belief in its own superiority above that of the other animals, humankind had become "the most vicious animal of all". For LaVey, non-human animals and children represent an ideal, "the purest form of carnal existence", because they have not been indoctrinated with Christian or other religious concepts of guilt and shame. His ethical views championed placing oneself and one's family before others, minding one's own business, and – for men – behaving like

7844-474: Is described as the Satanist's true "self"—a projection of his or her own personality—not an external deity. In works like The Satanic Bible , LaVey often uses the terms "god" and "Satan" interchangeably, viewing both as personifications of human nature. Despite his professed atheism, and his not encouraging the worship of Satan as a deity, some passages of LaVey's writings left room for a literal interpretation of Satan, and some members of his Church understood

7992-494: Is said to be built upon one's understanding of their place on the clock. Upon finding your position on the clock, you are encouraged to adapt it as seen fit, and perfect your type by harmonizing its element for better success. Dyrendal referred to LaVey's techniques as " Erving Goffman meets William Mortensen ". Drawing insights from psychology, biology, and sociology, Petersen noted that lesser magic combines occult and "rejected sciences of body analysis [and] temperaments." As

8140-773: Is the municipal law enforcement agency of the City and County of San Francisco , as well as the San Francisco International Airport in San Mateo County . In 2000, the SFPD was the 11th largest police department in the United States . The SFPD (along with the San Francisco Fire Department and the San Francisco Sheriff's Department ) serves an estimated population of 1.2 million, including

8288-510: Is the individual himself.) In the Satanic Bible, LaVey writes that the Satanist asks themselves: "'Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself'.... every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one". LaVey was strongly influenced by Nietzsche, according to religious studies scholar Asbjørn Dyrendal and Social Scientist Gabriel Andrade. Nietzsche celebrated

8436-456: Is the only fully functional department that utilizes the entire traffic fleet for escorts in the nation. No other metropolitan city utilizes all its motor bikes for escorts but SFPD. The entire 43-man unit is based at the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street. Unlike most cities, they patrol as solo officers (hence the name SOLOS). They can frequently be seen throughout the city. The bulk of the unit

8584-499: Is uncertain. Upon his death, his partner and biographer, Blanche Barton, insisted that LaVey did, in fact, "believe in the devil." In a taped interview quoted by Taub and Nelson, LaVey explained that while they did not perform human blood sacrifices because the physical "destruction of a human being ... is illegal", they did perform human sacrifices of enemies "by proxy, you might say", using "curses and hexes". Joseph P. Laycock writes that LaVey described magic as "a way of life", but

8732-519: The .40 S&W Beretta Model 96GT (G standing for decocker only and T standing for Trijicon night sights), a variant of the Beretta 92 semi-automatic pistol. More recently, SIG Sauer pistols have replaced Beretta 96GTs as the standard SFPD service weapon. As of September 8, 2011, ground was broken for San Francisco's new Public Safety Building (PSB) in Mission Bay. A replacement facility for

8880-557: The FBI , DEA , and the ATF . As of 2007, it is mandatory that SWAT team members are together, sometimes during routine patrol, and can be seen among the streets of San Francisco in BDU and traveling in a marked SUV, to ensure a quick and timely response to calls. They were under political fire in the highly publicized 1998 Western Addition Raid, in which more than 90 SFPD SWAT and Federal Agents raided

9028-517: The Lambda Award for Best Lesbian Mystery Novel. James Patterson 's novels about Homicide Inspector Lindsay Boxer , introduced in 1st to Die (2001), have become best-sellers, and were the basis for the short-lived TV series Women's Murder Club . Former SFPD detective and current Bay Area private investigator Jerry Kenneally has written two novels featuring Homicide Inspector Jack Kordic, The Conductor (1996) and The Hunted (1999). After

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9176-522: The Wurlitzer at the Lost Weekend cocktail lounge. He was also a publicly noticeable figure; he drove a coroner's van around town, and he walked his pet black leopard, named Zoltan. He attracted many San Francisco notables to his parties. Guests included Carin de Plessin, Michael Harner , Chester A. Arthur III , Forrest J Ackerman , Fritz Leiber , Cecil E. Nixon, and Kenneth Anger . LaVey formed

9324-617: The Yazidis and Knights Templar were carriers of a Satanic tradition that had been passed down to the twentieth century. Scholar of Satanism Per Faxneld believed that these references were deliberately tongue-in-cheek and ironic, but he noted that many Satanists who had read LaVey's writings had taken them to be literal historical claims about the past. Although he regularly derided older esotericists, LaVey also relied upon their work; for instance, making use of John Dee 's Enochian system in The Satanic Bible . Faxneld therefore believed that there

9472-607: The iOS novel Cause of Death are officers of the SFPD. In fact, a main protagonist of the game (Malachi "Mal" Fallon) has his name taken from that of Malachi Fallon of the real SFPD. The SFPD has been fictionalized in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the San Fierro Police Department and in the 2014 animated film Big Hero 6 as the San Fransokyo Police Department. The SFPD were fictionalized in 2016 when

9620-570: The "prosperity wing" of the self-spirituality New Age movement and a form of the Human Potential Movement . Similarly, the scholar of Satanism Jesper Aa. Petersen calls modern Satanism a "cousin" of the New Age and Human Potential movements. "In LaVey's way of thinking, Satanism is both a distinctly new religion, which he himself, without any false modesty, invented and the continuance of an ancient tradition of opposition to

9768-427: The 2013 Ford Taurus and 2013 Ford Explorer . Like most police agencies throughout California, SFPD patrol units are painted in black clearcoat with the roof, doors, and pillars painted white from the factory. The front doors of their motor vehicles bear a blue seven-pointed star with the letters "S.F.P.D." printed in gold. This decal is also printed on the trunk, either near the center of the decklid (on sedans) or near

9916-536: The Bean , The Laughing Policeman , Bullitt , the Dirty Harry film series , 48 Hrs. , A View to a Kill , Metro , Rush Hour , and Zodiac , as well as television series such as The Lineup (aka San Francisco Beat ), Ironside , The Streets of San Francisco , McMillan & Wife , Nash Bridges , The Division , Killer Instinct , The Evidence , Charmed (1998–2006), Murder in

10064-627: The Best of Their Ability . The SFPD has also had a strong presence in novels and short stories . Sidney Herschel Small wrote a series of thirty stories that appeared in Detective Fiction Weekly between 1931 and 1936 featuring Sergeant Jimmy Wentworth, the head of the Chinatown Squad, whose adventures were presumably based, if loosely, on the activities of Jack Manion , the real-life commander of SFPD's Chinatown detail. In

10212-669: The Board of Aldermen and assistant Aldermen. The remainder of the force, viz., 54 men, shall be appointed as follows: By the Mayor, 2; by the City Marshal, 2; by the City Recorder, 2; and by the Aldermen and assistant Aldermen, 3 each. In July 1856, the "Consolidation Act" went into effect. This act abolished the office of City Marshal and created in its stead the office of Chief of Police. The first Chief of Police elected in 1856

10360-632: The California Policy Lab and researchers at the University of California, Berkeley , found that after the San Francisco Police Department doubled its foot patrols in late 2017, it resulted in a reduction by about 16% in larceny theft and 19% in assaults across the city and 10 police station districts. In August 2022, the SFPD was understaffed by 300 officers. As of April 2024, the SFPD was operating in

10508-784: The Church dismissing the idea of a "Satanic Community" and the sharing of membership lists with its members (at least under High Priest Peter H. Gilmore), arguing that as "radical individualists", church members "may share very little in common beyond" beyond their Satanism. Similarly, LaVey criticized the negative and restrictive attitude to sexuality present in many religions, instead supporting any sexual acts that take place between consenting adults. His Church welcomed homosexual members from its earliest years, and he also endorsed celibacy for those who were asexual . He sought to discourage negative feelings of guilt arising from sexual acts such as masturbation and fetishes, and believed that rejecting these sexual inhibitions and guilt would result in

10656-467: The Church abide by state law in all of its actions. He supported eugenics and believed that it would be a necessity in the future. LaVey hated rock and metal music , with or without "Satanic" lyrics, and often expressed his distaste for it. Historian of Satanism Gareth J. Medway described LaVey as "A born showman", with anthropologist Jean La Fontaine describing him as "A colourful figure of considerable personal magnetism". Medway contrasted LaVey from

10804-420: The Church has no "'official' political position", and leaves politics to its individual members, each of whom have their own opinions of what (if any) political candidates or causes are worth supporting, usually based on "their own practical needs and desires". This may embrace one or more of all sorts of different ideologies, (it then lists every conceivable ideology including Communism and Socialism). As for

10952-539: The Church of Satan and formed the theistic Temple of Set , claiming to take an unknown number of dissenters with him. The Church maintains this policy announcement was designed to "clean house" of members who did not understand Satanic philosophy. In 1980, the FBI interviewed LaVey in connection with an alleged plot to murder Ted Kennedy . LaVey told the agents that most of the church's followers were "fanatics, cultists, and weirdos". The agents reported that LaVey's "interest in

11100-433: The Church of Satan is strictly from a monetary point of view," and that he spent "most of his time furnishing interviews, writing material, and lately has become interested in photography." In July 1984, Hegarty issued a restraining order against LaVey, which he did not contest. LaVey's third and final companion was Blanche Barton. On November 1, 1993, Barton gave birth to Satan Xerxes Carnacki LaVey. Barton succeeded LaVey as

11248-624: The Church of Satan's membership. In 1995, the religious studies scholar Graham Harvey wrote that although the Church had no organized presence in Britain, LaVey's writings were widely accessible in British bookshops. Due to increasing visibility through his books, LaVey was the subject of numerous articles in the news media throughout the world, including popular magazines such as Look , McCall's , Newsweek , and Time , and men's magazines. He also appeared on talk shows such as The Joe Pyne Show , Donahue , and The Tonight Show , and in

11396-414: The Church of Satan. He wrote essays introduced with reworked excerpts from Ragnar Redbeard's Might Is Right and concluded with "Satanized" versions of John Dee 's Enochian Keys to create books such as The Complete Witch (re-released in 1989 as The Satanic Witch ), and The Satanic Rituals . The latter book also included rituals drawing on the work of H. P. Lovecraft . Admitting his use of Might

11544-519: The Devil as an entity that really existed. It is possible that LaVey left some ambivalence in his writings so as not to drive away those Church members who were theistic Satanists. Both LaVey's writings and the publications of the church continue to refer to Satan as if he were a real being, in doing so seeking to reinforce the Satanist's self-interest. LaVey was an atheist who rejected the existence of all gods, of any afterlife , and of Satan as an entity who literally exists. The use of Satan as

11692-652: The Diamond Heights/Glen Park Canyon. Almost immediately upon completion, the property was determined to be unsafe and sliding into the canyon. The school was closed for one year, shored up and reopened. It was closed as a public school in the 1980s. Subsequently, the building is used by the SFPD for training. It is surrounded by a heavily wooded forest area and is near a shopping mall and apartment complex. As of recently (2008), there are three academy classes in session annually, with individual classes taking place for 31 to 32 weeks, year round. Pier 94

11840-628: The First and Monk . The Dirty Harry film series is known for shaping the popular view of the department, with a hard-nosed stance on crime and often using "cowboy" tactics ( shoot first , stakeouts , and preemptive raids ). In the days of old-time radio , there were a number of drama series built around the activities of the SFPD. Carlton E. Morse created four different shows based on SFPD files for NBC 's Pacific Coast Network, Chinatown Squad , Barbary Coast Nights , Killed in Action , and To

11988-486: The Mayor's Presidio Terrace home with a sign reading "Don't Threaten Us" left on his lawn. On August 21 Mayor Alioto advised the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that they should concede to the strikers' demands. The Supervisors unanimously refused. Mayor Alioto immediately declared a state of emergency, assumed legislative powers, and granted the strikers' demands. City Supervisors and residents sued but

12136-694: The NRP office and in the Warlock Bookshop in New York." LaVeyan Satanism Contrary to the popular image of Satanism as the worship of an evil supernatural entity, LaVeyan adherents do not consider Satan to be a literal being or entity, but a positive archetype representing humanity's natural instincts of pride and carnality , and of defiance against Abrahamic religions which preach suppression of these urges. The church considers humans to be animals existing in an amoral universe, and promotes

12284-626: The SFPD are the SIG Sauer P226 chambered in .40 S&W. Officers also carry batons (straight wood/straight expandable), pepper spray, a portable radio and handcuffs, and certified officers are authorized to carry AR-15 platform rifles chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO on patrol. The SFPD has several types of vehicles in use, among them are Trek Bicycle Corporation bicycles , the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor , Chevrolet Tahoe , and more recently

12432-464: The SFPD back to work. The court messenger delivering the order was met with violence and the SFPD continued to strike. Only managers and African-American officers remained on duty, with 45 officers and three fire trucks responsible for a city population of 700,000. Supervisor Dianne Feinstein pleaded Mayor Joseph Alioto to ask Governor Jerry Brown to call out the National Guard to patrol

12580-651: The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Headquarters and Southern District Police Station, the PSB also contains a fire station to serve the burgeoning neighborhood. In 2014, the San Francisco Police Academy graduated its first publicly reported transgender police officer, Mikayla Connell. A 2016 report by the Department of Justice concluded that there was significant racial bias in SFPD treatment of African Americans . A new study conducted by

12728-516: The Satan of John Milton 's Paradise Lost as a flawed anti-hero, a rebel leader of charisma and bravery, defying God's tyranny, and not as the source of all evil, as he is thought of in traditional Christianity. The Romantic did not worship Satan but saw him as a positive symbol. LaVey embraced the iconography of Satan and the label of "Satanist" because it shocked people into thinking, and its association with social nonconformity and rebellion against

12876-525: The Satanic community". In particular, Lewis highlighted that many Satanists – both members of the Church of Satan and other groups – quote from it either to legitimize their own position or to de-legitimize the positions of others in a debate. Many other Satanist groups and individual Satanists who are not part of the Church of Satan also recognize LaVey's work as influential. Many Satanists attribute their conversions or discoveries of Satanism to The Satanic Bible , with 20 percent of respondents to

13024-539: The Satanic milieu". LaVey was labeled many things by journalists, religious detractors, and Satanists alike, including "The Father of Satanism", the " St. Paul of Satanism", "The Black Pope", and the "evilest man in the world". LaVey was born Howard Stanton Levey on April 11, 1930 in Chicago , Illinois . His father, Michael Joseph Levey (1903–1992), from Chicago, married LaVey's mother, Gertrude Augusta née Coultron. His parents supported his musical interests, as he tried

13172-477: The big cats, then as a musician playing the calliope . He played tunes such as " Harlem Nocturne " by Earle Hagen . LaVey later claimed to have seen that many of the same men attended both the bawdy Saturday night shows and the tent revival meetings on Sunday mornings, which reinforced his increasingly cynical view of religion. In the foreword to the German language edition of The Satanic Bible , he cites this as

13320-486: The church's approach as "anarchistic hedonism". In their study of Satanism, the religious studies scholars Asbjørn Dyrendal, James R. Lewis , and Jesper Aa. Petersen suggested that LaVey viewed his religion as "an antinomian self-religion for productive misfits, with a cynically carnivalesque take on life, and no supernaturalism". The sociologist of religion James R. Lewis even described LaVeyan Satanism as "a blend of Epicureanism and Ayn Rand's philosophy, flavored with

13468-478: The church. The Church of Satan rejects the legitimacy of any other organizations who claim to be Satanists, dubbing them reverse-Christians, pseudo-Satanists or Devil worshipers, atheistic or otherwise, and maintains a purist approach to Satanism as expounded by LaVey. Among LaVey's influences were the Romantic writers (such as William Blake , Lord Byron , Percy Bysshe Shelley , and William Hazlitt ), who saw

13616-414: The claim that "Satanists are born, not made". He believed that the elite should be siphoned off from the rest of the human "herd", with the latter being forced into ghettoes, ideally "space ghettoes" located on other planets. The anthropologist Jean La Fontaine highlighted an article that appeared in a LaVeyan magazine, The Black Flame , in which one writer described "a true Satanic society" as one in which

13764-766: The core values of Satanism, combining elements of Darwinism and Epicureanism. Statement four, five and six deal in matters of ethics, through "kindness to those who deserve it", "vengeance" and "responsibility to the responsible", painting a harsh picture of society and human relations by emphasizing justice rather than love. Statements seven, eight and nine reject the dignity of man, sin and the Christian church. Humans are characterized as "just another animal", traditional "sins" are promoted as means for gratification, and religion as mere business. The adversarial and antinomian aspect of Satan takes precedence in support of statements four through nine, with non-conformity being presented as

13912-646: The court found that a contract obtained through an illegal strike is still legally enforceable. In 1997, the San Francisco International Airport Police merged with SFPD, becoming the SFPD Airport Bureau. SFPD was one of the last large agencies in California to adopt semi-automatic pistols. Starting in the early 1990s, officers stopped being issued .38 Special 6-shot revolvers. Instead, they were issued

14060-614: The daytime-commuter population and thousands of other tourists and visitors. The department's motto is the same as that of the city and county: Oro en paz, fierro en guerra , Spanish for Gold in peace, iron in war . The SFPD began operations on August 13, 1849, during the California gold rush under the command of Captain Malachi Fallon. At the time, Chief Fallon had a force of one deputy captain, three sergeants and 30 officers. In 1851, Albert Bernard de Russailh wrote about

14208-403: The desire to 'change the world', this (it asserts) is an "emotional drive" that is a "common stage of early adult development" which adults outgrow, "typically beginning around age 16 and lasting until around age 24". On the other hand, observers have characterized LaVeyan Satanism as belonging to the political right rather than the left . Historian of Satanism Ruben van Luijk describes it as

14356-479: The dominant system. When asked about the name of his religion, he replied that "the reason it's called Satanism is because it's fun, it's accurate and it's productive". LaVey saw Satan as a symbol of the individual's own vitality, thus representing an autonomous power within, and a representation of personal liberty and individualism. Throughout The Satanic Bible , the LaVeyan Satanist's view of god

14504-581: The early 1960s, Breni James wrote two novels about Sergeant Gun Mattson, uniformed patrol supervisor at the Ingleside District Station, The Night of the Kill (1961), which was an Edgar nominee for Best First Novel, and The Shakeup (1964). Ernest K. Gann 's 1963 novel, Of Good and Evil , tells the story of one busy day in the professional life of San Francisco's police chief, Colin Hill,

14652-486: The ego's desires. He expressed the view that self-indulgence was a desirable trait, and that hate and aggression were not wrong or undesirable emotions but that they were necessary and advantageous for survival. Accordingly, he praised the Seven Deadly Sins ( pride , greed , wrath , envy , lust , gluttony and sloth ), as virtues which were beneficial for the individual. This individualism extended to

14800-482: The evil magician and Satanic cult leader Asmodeus, whose Mephistophelean persona is virtually identical to that which LaVey adopted one month later. Media attention followed the subsequent Satanic wedding ceremony of journalist John Raymond to New York City socialite Judith Case on February 1, 1967. The Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle were among the newspapers that printed articles dubbing him "The Black Pope". LaVey performed Satanic baptisms (including

14948-527: The figure of Satan. According to Egil Asprem and Kennet Granholm, scholars agree that there is no reliably documented case of Satanic continuity prior to the founding of the Church of Satan. For Faxneld and Petersen, the Church represented "the first public, highly visible, and long-lasting organization which propounded a coherent satanic discourse". The church itself is dismissive of other Satanist groups as deviant or unimportant, insisting Satanism has been "codified" as "a religion and philosophy" by LaVey and

15096-472: The first Satanic baptism in history for his three-year-old daughter Zeena, dedicating her to Satan and the Left-Hand Path, which garnered worldwide publicity and was originally recorded on The Satanic Mass LP). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, LaVey melded ideological influences from Friedrich Nietzsche , Ayn Rand , H. L. Mencken , and social Darwinism with the ideology and ritual practices of

15244-593: The first of which, Every Move She Makes (1999), won the Barry for Best Paperback Original, and the third of which, Deadly Legacy (2003), won the Anthony in the same category. Some San Francisco-set police novels have explored The city's rich history. With Siberia Comes a Chill (1990), by former Inyo County Deputy Sheriff Kirk Mitchell , features SFPD Homicide Inspector John Kost who, in April 1945, while conducting

15392-605: The following year, when Lansing was fifteen years old. Lansing gave birth to LaVey's first daughter, Karla LaVey , born in 1952. In order to avoid the Korean War draft, he studied criminology at City College of San Francisco . LaVey then attained a job as a photographer for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), where he worked for three years. (Wright could find no evidence of LaVey working at this job either.) LaVey claimed to have dabbled as

15540-401: The form of "God," then why fear his true self, in fearing "God,"—why praise his true self in praising "God,"—why remain externalized from "God" in order to engage in ritual and religious ceremony in his name? Man needs ritual and dogma, but no law states that an externalized god is necessary in order to engage in ritual and ceremony performed in a god's name! Could it be that when he closes

15688-443: The full commitment on becoming full-time peace officers. A San Francisco Police Reserve Officer is a POST (Police Officer Standards and Training)-certified peace officer who volunteers his or her time. A Reserve Officer is classified as a Q-0 and has the same duties and authority as a full-time paid Police Officer while on duty. Officers patrol in vehicles, on bikes, on foot, and in some cases on marine craft. Reserve officers must meet

15836-405: The gap between himself and his "God" he sees the demon of pride creeping forth—that very embodiment of Lucifer appearing in his midst? LaVey, The Satanic Bible . LaVey used Christianity as a negative mirror for his new faith, rejecting the basic principles and theology of Christian belief, which he also believed would soon disappear anyway. He perceived Christianity as a lie, exerting

15984-620: The growth of the Temple has been explained by increasing interest among secular non-theists in "left-wing" social activism against Christian conservative power and in favor of separation of church and state, reproductive rights, and transgender rights, that has come at the expense of ignoring the LaVeyan focus on "getting what you want for yourself" selfishness and elitism. For a number of reasons LaVey's Satanism achieved "a measure of social legitimization" and established for themselves an image as

16132-504: The head of the Church after his death and has since stepped down from that role and handed it to Magus Peter H. Gilmore . According to his family, Anton LaVey died on October 29, 1997, in St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco of pulmonary edema ; however, his death certificate lists October 31, 1997. He was taken to St. Mary's, a Catholic hospital, because it was the closest available. A secret Satanic funeral, attended by invitation only,

16280-401: The ideal Satanist should be individualistic and non-conformist, rejecting what he called the "colorless existence" that mainstream society sought to impose on those living within it. He rejected consumerism and what he called the "death cult" of fashion . He praised the human ego for encouraging an individual's pride, self-respect, and self-realization and accordingly believed in satisfying

16428-439: The impetus to defy Christian religion as he knew it. He explains why churchgoers employ moral double standards. However, journalist Lawrence Wright investigated LaVey's background and found no evidence LaVey ever worked in a circus either as a musician or a cage boy. In the winter of 1948, LaVey began to work as an organist in bars, lounges, and nightclubs. His "genius" on keyboards helped him attain gigs. He claimed to have had

16576-438: The large and active Satanic Temple , though atheist, rejects LaVey and Ayn Rand 's ideas on hierarchy and self-centeredness in favor of a "left-wing", "socially engaged" Satanism, agitating for separation of church and state, reproductive rights, and transgender rights. LaVeyan Satanism – which is also sometimes termed "Modern Satanism" and "Rational Satanism" – is classified by scholars of religious studies as

16724-519: The likes of Jim Jones , David Koresh , and Charles Manson , noting that whereas the latter were the charismatic leaders of apocalyptic communes, within the Church of Satan, "No one hung onto [LaVey's] every word, and church members [were] allowed considerable autonomy." The academic scholars, Per Faxneld and Jesper Aagaard Petersen, described LaVey as "the most iconic figure in the Satanic milieu", while Asbjørn Dyrendel described him as "the founder of modern Satanism". In his 2001 examination of Satanists,

16872-512: The magic practiced in ceremonies in the church's "ritual chamber", was not supernatural but merely "supernormal", Lucien Greaves , spokesperson for The Satanic Temple , a rival of the Church of Satan, argues LaVey's beliefs about magic were "artfully, and probably intentionally, unclear in his writings". LaVey's own descriptions of Magical Successes, from deadly hexes to unexplained healings, were as scientifically unjustified as any supernatural claims to magical influence. Even LaVey's nontheism

17020-409: The most important document to influence contemporary Satanism. The book contains the core principles of Satanism, and is considered the foundation of its philosophy and dogma. On their website, the Church of Satan urge anyone seeking to learn about LaVeyan Satanism to read The Satanic Bible , stating that doing so is "tantamount to understanding at least the basics of Satanism". Petersen noted that it

17168-473: The nascent San Francisco police force: As for the police, I have only one thing to say. The police force is largely made up of ex-bandits, and naturally the members are interested above all in saving their old friends from punishment. Policemen here are quite as much to be feared as the robbers; if they know you have money, they will be the first to knock you on the head. You pay them well to watch over your house, and they set it on fire. In short, I think that all

17316-407: The nominees for these awards are reviewed by a board of police captains. A Meritorious Conduct Award can also be awarded to department members. The San Francisco Police Reserve Officer Unit is composed of individuals who wish to provide community service and give back to the city they live or work in. These officers understand the need for quality policing and community involvement, but cannot make

17464-562: The occultist Aleister Crowley 's version of John Dee 's Enochian Keys . There is evidence that LaVey was inspired by the writings of the American philosopher Ayn Rand ; and while accusations that he plagiarized her work in The Satanic Bible have been denied by one author, Chris Mathews stated that "LaVey stole selectively and edited lightly" and that his "Satanism at times closely parallels Ayn Rand's Objectivist philosophy ." The book The Satanic Bible served to present LaVey's ideas to

17612-414: The people concerned with justice or the police are in league with the criminals. The city is in a hopeless chaos, and many years must pass before order can be established. In a country where so many races are mingled, a severe and inflexible justice is desirable, which would govern with an iron hand. On October 28, 1853, the Board of Aldermen passed Ordinance No. 466, which provided for the reorganization of

17760-480: The police department. Sections one and two provided as follows: The People of the City of San Francisco do ordain as follows: Sec. 1. The Police Department of the City of San Francisco, shall be composed of a day and night police, consisting of 56 men (including a Captain and assistant Captain), each to be recommended by at least ten tax-paying citizens. Sec. 2. There shall be one Captain and one assistant Captain of Police, who shall be elected in joint convention of

17908-403: The population consists of "free-spirited, well-armed, fully-conscious, self-disciplined individuals, who will neither need nor tolerate any external entity 'protecting' them or telling them what they can and cannot do." This rebellious approach conflicts with LaVey's firm beliefs in observing the rule of law . Although LaVey's ideas suggest a secular and scientific world-view, he also expressed

18056-517: The practice of magic to aid one's selfish ends. Much of Satanic ritual is designed for an individual to carry out alone; this is because concentration is seen as key to performing magical acts. Lesser magic, also referred to an "everyday" or "situational" magic, is the practice of manipulation by means of applied psychology. LaVey defined it as "wile and guile obtained through various devices and contrived situations, which when utilized, can create change in accordance with one's will." LaVey wrote that

18204-452: The purpose of which is to divide humans into distinct groups of people based primarily on body shape and personality traits. The synthesizer is modeled as a clock, and based on concepts of somatotypes . The clock is intended to aid a witch in identifying themselves, subsequently aiding in utilizing the "attraction of opposites" to "spellbind" the witch's object of desire by assuming the opposite role. The successful application of lesser magic

18352-415: The required training prior to being appointed as a Reserve Police Officer. Once appointed, that officer must attend Continuing Professional Training, which is consistent with the requirements of regular full-time Officers every two years. There is also a 400-hour Field Training Program that Level 1 Reserves Officers must complete with a FTO officer. Reserve officers are held to the same performance standards as

18500-719: The right taillight (on SUVs). The car's 'shop number' (used to identify all vehicles operated by the city) is printed on the front doors below the A-pillars, on the trunk near the left rear taillight, and on the roof to help air units visually identify cars. On the rear side panels on both sides of the car is a sticker reading "EMERGENCY DIAL 911". The SFPD has supplemental levels for ranks up to captain, depending on P.O.S.T. certification. Example; Q-2, Q-3 or Q-4 Police Officer for Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification. Inspectors do not use chevrons to identify their rank—instead they wear

18648-496: The same stringent and comprehensive POST standards and training as regular full-time police officers. Most San Francisco Police Reserve Officers are Level 1 Reserve Officers, which is the highest level that is recognized by the State of California. The SFPD does accept Level 2 or Level 3 Reserve Officers, but based upon their respective levels which determine how a Reserve Officer is deployed. Reserve Officers are responsible for serving

18796-720: The six bureaus: Administration, Airport, Chief of Staff, Field Operations, Professional Standards and Principled Policing and Special Operations, as well as the Municipal Transportation Authority, and the Public Utilities Commission. There are commanders appointed to assist the Deputy Chief with the day-to-day operation of the bureaus. The department is divided into six bureaus which are either led by an Assistant Chief or Deputy Chief. The standard issue side arms issued by

18944-503: The sociologist James R. Lewis noted that, to his surprise, his findings "consistently pointed to the centrality of LaVey's influence on modern Satanism". As a result he "concluded that ‍ — despite his heavy dependence on prior thinkers ‍ — LaVey was directly responsible for the genesis of Satanism as a serious religious (as opposed to a purely literary) movement". His books The Satanic Bible and The Satanic Rituals have been cited as having "an influence far beyond"

19092-399: The spiritual and denial of humanity's animal nature, and instead calls for the celebration of, and indulgence in, animal desires. Christianity was not the only negative force in the eyes of Laveyan Satanism. Other major religions, along with philosophies such as humanism and liberal democracy were also detrimental to human fulfillment. According to the Church's "Policy on Politics",

19240-693: The stake. Their members are "predominantly" between 25 and 50 years old, white, middle-class, include some professionals, and so are not that different from mainstream members of society "as might be supposed". Unlike some Satanic cults such as Process Church of the Final Judgment , Church of Satan members adhere to relatively conventional lifestyles and behavior, avoiding drugs and excessive alcohol, dressing conventionally. The church also screens membership applications to exclude "sensation seekers" and prison inmates. San Francisco Police Department The San Francisco Police Department ( SFPD )

19388-429: The status quo... For LaVey, Satanism is also the religion of the playful provocateur; anything that will shock people out of their unthinking adherence to the status quo is worth thinking about or even doing." Religious studies scholar Eugene Gallagher. The anthropologist Jean La Fontaine described LaVeyan Satanism as having "both elitist and anarchist elements", also citing one occult bookshop owner who referred to

19536-462: The streets but Alioto refused. When enraged civilians confronted SFPD officers at the picket lines, the officers arrested them. Heavy drinking on the picket line became common. After striking SFPD officers started shooting out streetlights, the ACLU obtained a court order prohibiting strikers from carrying their service revolvers. Again, the SFPD ignored the court order. On August 20, a bomb detonated at

19684-599: The tradition of ancient executioners", declared the founding of the Church of Satan and proclaimed 1966 as "the Year One", Anno Satanas, the first year of the Age of Satan . LaVey's image has been described as " Mephistophelian ", and may have been inspired by an occult-themed episode of the television show The Wild Wild West titled "The Night of the Druid's Blood" which originally aired on March 25, 1966 and starred Don Rickles as

19832-613: The unit by the Inspectors. The SFPD was one of the founding departments in the field of utilizing Police motorcycles (along with their counterparts across the bay in Berkeley ). The unit was founded in 1909, and has grown ever since. They are officially under the command of the SFPD Traffic Division . They participate in many duties such as traffic enforcement, patrol, riot control, and special events and escorts. It

19980-465: The values of Dionysus – the Ancient Greek god of wine and excess – who also represented (at least for Nietzsche), uninhibited rage and hedonism, an opposite of "the moral restrictions of Christianity", according to Andrade. Nietzsche was also famous for the concepts of Übermensch (the naturally superior man interested in accomplishment in this life, not in the spiritual or afterlife) and "God

20128-405: The will of the stronger or cleverer individual", or the axiom of "personal needs as absolutely reliable to determine the best course of action in any circumstance". The atheism of Objectivism is also more pure, completely rejecting "the value of a god", while Satanists hold that "the meaning of god is useful" if it is defined as "the most important person in an individual's universe", which of course

20276-427: The world today derives directly or indirectly from LaVey's 1966 Church of Satan, even if they are dismissive of LaVey or choose to emphasize other real or alleged forerunners of Satanism." The sociologist James R. Lewis noted that "LaVey was directly responsible for the genesis of Satanism as a serious religious (as opposed to a purely literary) movement", and the first organized church in modern times to be devoted to

20424-475: Was James F. Curtis a former member of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance . The SFPD is one of the pioneering forces for modern law enforcement , beginning in the early 1900s. In early August 1975, the SFPD went on strike over a pay dispute, violating a California law prohibiting police from striking. The city quickly obtained a court order declaring the strike illegal and enjoining

20572-466: Was "ambiguous" about whether it was a "shorthand for popular psychology", or whether there was some supernatural element in it. This practice puts LaVeyan Satanism within a wider tradition of 'high magic' or ceremonial magic, and has also been compared with Christian Science and Scientology . LaVey adopted beliefs and ideas from older magicians but consciously de-Christianised and Satanised them for his own purposes. In presenting himself as applying

20720-636: Was "just Ayn Rand's philosophy with ceremony and ritual added". LaVey's "Nine Satanic Statements" (see below) are paraphrased from a speech by John Galt in Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged . (An essay on the church's website by "Nemo", a Magister in the Church of Satan, states "Satanism has far more in common" with Rand's philosophy of "Objectivism" "than with any other religion or philosophy. Objectivists endorse reason, selfishness, greed and atheism." However he finds some differences, such as Rand's hesitancy to accept either "the use of force to cause others to submit to

20868-456: Was a tension in LaVey's thought between his desire to establish prestigious Satanic predecessors and his desire to be seen as the founder of the first real Satanic society. Dyrendel argued that LaVey partook in conspiracy culture as he grew older, for he was greatly concerned with modern society's impact on individual agency. LaVey was conservative in his attitude to law and order and insisted that

21016-621: Was at its peak in the mid-1970s, with the number of helicopter and small plane flights rivaling the frequency of the Los Angeles Police Department. After several accidents (one of which a helicopter crashed in Lake Merced, killing Officer Charles Logasa in 1971) and complaints about the "Eye in the Sky" program, the unit was disbanded. The helicopter unit was featured prominently in the first Dirty Harry film, identifying

21164-636: Was built in 1895 and was located on the West End adjacent to Golden Gate Park . The building, no longer in use, had the facilities to accommodate 25 trainees. In the 1960s, the building now used as the San Francisco Police Academy Complex was built originally as Diamond Heights Elementary School located at 350 Amber Drive, just behind the Diamond Heights Safeway. The building was built in the 1960s hugging

21312-564: Was formed as an offshoot of the department in 1938 to patrol the various housing projects of the city. In the 1990s they were completely absorbed back into the main Police Department. In the mid-1990s, San Francisco experienced the explosion of drug-related homicides, which escalated to approximately 40 murders. Then-Chief Fred Lau sought the expertise of his veteran homicide Inspectors, Napoleon Hendrix (now deceased) and Prentice "Earl" Sanders (later Chief of Police), to put together

21460-518: Was founded in 2013 as a reaction to the " culture war " (particularly in the United States) over abortion , gun politics , separation of church and state , privacy , recreational drug use , homosexuality , censorship , and the political success of the shrinking population (in recent decades) of traditionalists and conservatives. Reportedly the "most prominent" Satanic organization "in terms of both size and public activity" (as of late 2023),

21608-497: Was held in Colma , after which LaVey's body was cremated . On February 2, 1998, his estranged daughter Zeena Schreck and her then husband Nikolas Schreck published a nine-page "fact sheet", in which they endorsed Wright's earlier allegations and claimed that many more of LaVey's stories about his life had been false. LaVey included references to other esoteric and religious groups throughout his writings, claiming for instance that

21756-568: Was located at the San Francisco Thomas J. Cahill Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street, which houses a number of criminal courts, jail facilities, investigative and support units, as well as "Southern Station". The Headquarters of the San Francisco Sheriff's Department is housed in an adjacent building. On April 16, 2015, the SFPD officially moved its headquarters to a new location at Mission Bay . The SFPD has been portrayed in films such as The Sniper , Vertigo , Freebie and

21904-587: Was that "unfettered self-interest is good and altruism is destructive"). LaVey believed in Social Darwinism , and the fundamental inequality of human beings, and that an anti-egalitarian and elitist society was only natural. Social Darwinism is particularly noticeable in The Book of Satan , where LaVey uses portions of Redbeard's Might Is Right , and refers to man's inherent strength and instinct for self-preservation. LaVey described his Satanism

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