European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Doily Magazine Sherif of san Francisco by Linda Kramer associated press t a desk he checks the .38-caliber revolver he wears in a Holster at the Waist of his Dapper pin striped suit and enters the county prison for an inspection tour. Hey sheriff an inmate sings out we hear you was in  yeah sheriff Richard Hongisto re plies you mind being seen with a criminal laughing he saunters past. The inmate looks after him admiringly. He s different than most sheriffs he says. Sometimes i doubt if he s a sheriff at  others have been similarly bemused since Hongisto a former City cop took office in 1971 and began shaking up traditional notions of How sheriffs should act. He started by replacing the county Seal on his badge of office in san Francisco with a peace Symbol it was the time of Vietnam. When he could t pry Money for his jail from the City Treasury he organized a Rock concert Benefit for the jail and Boogie on the stage. Since taking office Hongisto has built a playground for the children of jail visitors started a venereal disease treatment program ended censorship of prisoner mail and named an ombudsman to handle inmate and staff complaints. He got a taste of prison life from the other Side of the bars last april serving five Days in san Mateo county jail not his own for defying a court order to evict ten ants from a Chinatown hotel. The sheriff insisted he lacked manpower to do the Job without bloodshed. Later he carried out the court s mandate. Characteristically Hongisto used his time in confine ment to take notes on prison life and Jot Down ideas for improving his own jail. Hongisto is 39, a . Candidate in criminology and a practitioner of transcendental meditation and he s sometimes called the Flower Power  but he s gathered More than bouquets in his five years of office. The Deputy sheriff s association for example opposed him for re election and in the past has complained to the civil grand jury about his administrative practices. The group s attorney Stephen Bley says Many of Hong isto s subordinates feel he s brought discredit on the de  says Hongisto s actions in the hotel Case held All Law enforcement officers up to ridicule. Everyone thinks it s a big joke but it s not. Criminals say if the sheriff can get away with it so can  admirer gave Richard Hongisto a Peony As controversial sheriff began five Days in jail. Up i gave the court excellent reasons Why we could t carry out that eviction Hongisto says. I Don t think i should have been  a native of san Francisco Hongisto first studied to be a teacher became a policeman instead and quit 10 years a they Call Hongisto the Flower Power sheriff monday september 19, 1977 later when he was refused a leave of absence to work on Public television. In 1971, Hongisto assembled a coalition of youths minorities liberals and homosexuals and ousted the 15-year incumbent Matt  same coalition helped Hongisto to an easy re elec Tion in 1975. San Francisco has a Large Gay population and Hongisto was one of the first office seekers to Appeal directly for homosexuals votes. He keeps acknowledged homosexuals on his staff has Ridden on a float in the annual Gay rights Parade and journeyed to Miami to Campaign against Singer Anita Bryant s ant Gay  this involvement has prompted questions about the Bachelor sheriffs personal orientation but he replies i m utterly conventional in my sexual  in running his own six Story lockup Hongisto stresses rehabilitation has hired More Counselor and expanded programs despite arguments that inmates Don t stay Long enough in county jail to make the Effort worthwhile. Most people in this business just process people through the jails Hongisto says. They stuff them in at one end and push them out at the other. Rehabilitation has t really been  a tour of the jail Hongisto Points out class rooms where inmates study English music and put out a prison newspaper. He stops to talk with prisoners waiting for treatment at a new dental clinic paid for by my hell raising and jokes with the chef in the renovated Kitchen about the next  Quality of the food is very important to inmate life Hongisto said. I had my own Chance to prove it during his own Brief jail term. This summer Hongisto faced a ballot measure Spear headed by supervisor John Barbagelata that would have Cut the terms of the mayor District attorney and sheriff from four years to two. It would have forced Hongisto to run for office again this fall but the voters rejected it. Barbagelata agrees that Hongisto has improved the jails but he still wants him out of office. Our sheriff is an outright revolutionary. He s a dangerous Man the supervisor said. I be been creative but not Radical Hongisto says. I think our social problems Are very pressing and i give them my Best thought. You can Call it creative manage  the stars and stripes Page 13