- Officer Laura Martin
Eleven people were arrested at Club Dallas on Friday night, Oct. 8, when vice officers raided the gay-oriented gym in response to a complaint, according to Laura Martin, the Dallas Police Department’s LGBT liaison officer.
Martin said 10 of those arrested were charged with public lewdness — or sexual activity in public — while one was charged with interfering with police. The person charged with interfering with police reportedly was a Club Dallas employee who didn’t immediately comply with officers. Martin said she believes it was the first vice operation at Club Dallas —commonly known as a gay “bathhouse” — since 2003.
“We’ve done operations in that club since the late ’70s. There just hasn’t been one in a while because there hasn’t been a complaint,” Martin said. “They [officers] were in there for a legitimate reason, and obviously there was illegal activity going on or that many arrests wouldn’t have been made. It just happened that no one complained in a few years, so they haven’t been in there in a few years.”
The manager of Club Dallas, on Swiss Avenue in Deep Ellum, didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment, but Martin said she feels the vice operation was justified and conducted appropriately.
“I’ve certainly never been there, but I’ve heard that public lewdness does go on in the club,” she added. “All you have to do is keep your ears open.”
Though they may seem private, the confines of businesses such as Club Dallas are considered public places under Texas’ public lewdness statute.
Martin said police won’t reveal the source of the complaint, but she said it was “most likely a former member who thought they didn’t get what they paid for.” However, she said it’s also possible that the complaint was made by another business owner in the area, which is undergoing redevelopment thanks to DART’s new rail line.
“When somebody complains we have to go in, just like when someone calls 911 we have to go to the call,” Martin said. “Now that so much activity was found there, they can probably expect more vice operations there.”
One Club Dallas member who witnessed the vice operation but was not arrested said officers were rude and unprofessional during the operation. He also said he feels the club is being targeted by the city to make way for the redevelopment.
The member, who asked not to be identified, said he was working out when he went around the corner to get a drink of water and was confronted by an officer. He said he was forced to remain seated throughout the operation.
“He said, ‘You sit down there and you don’t move,’” the member said. “I tried to ask him what’s this about, and he said, ‘You just chill out.’ They detained us when we were just working out, which I thought was strange.”
The member said about a dozen officers participated in the raid, which began at 9:30 p.m. and lasted until 10:15 p.m.
The officers came in carrying plastic flexcuffs and seemed to be trying to intimidate patrons, the member said.
At one point the member said he heard one of the officers remark that, “I’m going to have nightmares forever after this,” a reference to the fact that it was a gay-oriented business.
The member said he was also at Club Dallas the following night when the fire marshal paid a visit.
“There’s real crime going on in the city, and they don’t need to be harassing a private club,” he said. “I’m irritated and I’m frustrated because I feel like the police department is targeting them, and I don’t appreciate being talked to like that, being detained.”
Public lewdness is a class-A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine.
It may not be safe to walk with a friend to the club but at least there isn’t illegal activity going on if we get there alive.
Same police department. Same disrespect. Same song, second verse. Whether or not there were crimes being committed at the club is questionable. But if there had NOT been, the officers would have simply made something up, gotten the other officers to buy in to their story and arrested innocent patrons anyway. It’s how they’re trained and it’s how they operate.
@mandy
So you are saying there is NO illegal activity in the clubs? So there are no drugs or stall sex etc?
WOW
How ling you been going to the bars/clubs? cause im sure the stuff goes on in all the clubs gay or str8 lol
Thanks God I was out of town and not doing my regular Friday night ritual! It’s sad someone was getting arresting for giving a fabulous bj while another man was being beaten senseless in Oak Lawn.
they should host a bible burning in the parking lot.
this puritanical fear of naughty bits has gone on long enough. and that cop’s nightmares probably involve his being recognized in uniform after having been a patron of the club the night before.
@lilCarl Well we all know the DPD has there priorities . :>
We have enough officers to pull this kind of harassment yet not enough to prevent people from being beaten and robbed in Oak Lawn? The priorities of the police department seem really twisted to me.
Does anyone know how to contact our “LGBT Liason” (who apparently is not much of a liason at all. She needs to hear from us. I’m not saying that there wasn’t illegal activity – but due to the private membership of the club, and the fact that its been around for ages, can easily give the impression to visitors that is is perfectly legal.
I know at first glance it may feel like DPD is out to get us… but let’s be real here: The fact is that when DPD got there, the people arrested were engaged in illegal activity. And unlike the assaults and robberies in the gayborhood, which are random and give no advanced notice, the activities that occur at Club Dallas are infamous and can be read about on Craigslist.
@Hardy – very good point. They are too busy ticketing us for PI’s etc. If they are not making money from it they will not come out. The department needs money so they can hire more patrol cars to give out more tickets. More money for Dallas because our property taxes are not high enough right?
@ty- Then why were they out there in the first place. A business that is probably wanting that property to be vacant soon could have been the one making the calls or an anti-gay group. I read that it was just one complaint?? Really? What were they complaining about if they weren’t inside the building?
This is SAD SAD SAD….What we are seeing here is OUR Freedoms and Liberty being taken away from us slowly but surely. Must we forget that 40 years ago in a city called New York Drag Queens and those who stood by them started a riot that would soon change GAY RIGHTS for t he better. And now for about a year and a half we have seen EVERYTHING reversing and WE the Gay People of this country are being targeted once again. When will WE finally STAND UP and TRULY put an end to ALL of it. Whether it’s Bath Houses, Clubs or Private Places where Gays Meet, WE are NO LONGER SAFE. They can come in at any moment and harrase us, treat us with disrespect, Arrest Us, Put us on Trial and eventually fix it to where WE are NO LONGER a WE anymore. You just watch and see…it is COMING…Our Culture, Our Contributions to America and Our Communities Nationwide will sease to exsist. We will then be back to square ONE!
Without a doubt the most idiotic things police do are the vice laws. No one wants them there, no one is doing anything against their will (if there is that is a different crime), most officers do not want to be there, its a total waste of money except for the Bail Bondsman, and its is hypocritical. The sooner we can abandon these religion based puritanical laws the happier everyone will be. It is so hard to believe resources are dedicated to VICE and not to stopping something like drunk drivers who kill and maim every single day. Where would you rather have 12!! officers: dragging in some guys out of a private club doing nothing that concerns ANYONE but them. Or 12 officers on I-35 stopping the 90mph drunk drivers at 11pm-3am in the morning? Goddamn the city for this idiocy.
TAKE OFF YOUR BLINDFOLDS AND OPEN YOUR EYES. THER IS A REASON FOR ALL THE SOFT C CKS AT THE CLUB. NUMBER ONE PLACE TO FIND DRUGS IN DALLAS, ESP. IF KIPP IS THERE
@MAS
I agree completely. It isn’t like people don’t actually know what to expect going into a place like that. It’s a place for us to do what we want, and we pay a fee to do it. If it’s not legal, strictly speaking, then the problem isn’t that consenting adults are doing something illegal, the problem is that the law allows them to be harassed, beaten, arrested, and verbally abused for participating. All this while innocent people are being beaten and robbed by real criminals where there are apparently no officers to help them. This is disgusting and we must stand up to stop this behavior.
Where does reality meet up with legality? If I walk into a store pedaling “adult oriented video” and I see lewd displays on video of behavior that isn’t likely to be seen in other “public” venues, is that also lewd behavior? Or, do I, in going into such an establishment, have a reasonable expectation that I might see something which is intended only for consenting adults? The lines are blurred, and we keep standing by allowing the hatred, intolerance, and bigotry push the lines back. It must stop.
S, have you met the liaison officer? She is a great officer and person. She has posted not only her email address but her phone number as well. She also happens to be gay, big plus since the last one wasn’t.
It’s obvious that someone powerful want’s the Club Dallas closed down for fiancial gain.
The owner of Club Dallas would do the community a favor by posting videos of all the police officers involved in the raid so everyone can be aware of who these undercover officers look like.
The real problem is that Texas law treats the inside of the club as a public space. That’s ridiculous, but there’s no chance in hell the Leg in Austin will change the law.
the owner of Club Dallas just need to start finding a new location that is out of the way of gentrification, or start bribing the right people at City Hall.
I wonder who has their eye on the Club Dallas lots? That is probably where the complaint originated, not some former member who got kicked out….puhlease.
The spokesman/liaison for the police is technically correct, but a disgrace IMHO to her office as liaison.
I’ve never been a big fan of the bath houses, as I think they make our community look bad and provide fodder for the right wing to use against all LGBT people. They also provide a haven for closeted married men.
Having said that, I think it’s a waste of resources to raid the bath houses, when there are people having public sex in the parks every day and in public restroom every day. At the bath houses, everyone is over 18 and everyone knows what they might see and won’t be offended by it. At the public parks and restrooms, children and adults who don’t want to see that type of activity can walk in at any moment.
Not to metion the extremely high crime rate we have in Dallas with daily or near daily murders and rapes.
I’m also curious to know if the people were having sex in the open areas or if they were having sex in the private rooms behind closed doors? Do the police reports say?
I think that the bathouses should just do like other cities have done and change their business model by buying a motel and advertising it as a gay motel with rainbow flags everywhere. People could cruise around and have their sexual encounters in the motel rooms where it would be legal.
So, the Dallas Police Department receives a complaint and they are supposed to ignore it because it’s against a gay establishment? If we want full and equal rights then our establishments would fall under the very same rules as some of the motels along Harry Hines. When there is a complaint by a citizen the DPD investigates. We scream and yell that DPD is not protecting us, we want more protection than what we are “given.” However it seems as though we don’t want the other side of the coin which is enforcement. Should they put on blinders when it comes to LGBT? Specifically LGBT enforcement?
The last time there was a complaint against Club Dallas it was 2003. Seven years have passed and now they are being targeted?
Also, the liaison Laura Martin is an amazingly straight forward and honest woman. I am proud to have her as a friend. She has exhibited nothing but fairness in light of several tough months. So Andy, I take offense at an off-hand remark about a member of our community that has acted with integrity. That is much more than I can say for the few looking to take off her head. Even Derrick Brown has commented on how respectful and thorough Laura has been around the W Hotel incident post GaGa.
Dawn: I agree with most of what you are saying, but will have to disagree on this:
The Dallas Police don’t respond to every complaint they receive. I had my truck stolen and called the non emergency number of the police to report it. They said they didn’t have the resources to send someone out over a stolen vehicle, and asked me to come in and file a report. I did mainly because my insurance needed it. They said the case would be assigned to a detective, but most likely would not be investigated due to lack of resources and the extremely high number of stolen vehicles.
I would like to point out that theft of a vehicle is a felony while lewd conduct is only a misdemeaner. So, it looks like the Dallas Police are choosing to work misdemeaners instead of felonies. Isn’t that not following the intent of the law to classify crimes and prioritize them? It’s like the Dallas Police are writing their own priorities instead of following the priorities set by law, which they are sworn to uphold.
My issues really isnt with the police involvement here. I just don’t understand how this can be a crime? There is nothing “public” about it – it’s behind several closed doors, and a membership policy.
The law is Public Lewdness. Can someone explain that to me?
S: I think I can answer your question about a private club being a public place.
Under Texas Law, pretty much anywhere except for your home is a public place. Sounds crazy? Well a lot of Texas laws unfortunately defy logic and comon sense. Texas is the last state remaining to have such a law. A few states still have similar versions, but not to the extent of Texas law.
If it ever gets to the federal courts it will surely be struck down. But these cases usually get thrown out or plea bargained down to disorderly conduct, etc. Or dropped before they get to the federal courts. So a challenge in federal court may not be coming anytime soon.
One bright spot in this area is the Atlanta Eagle lawsuit. There is a good chance that will get to the federal courts and that the federal courts will rule that a private bar is not a public place. Such a ruling would impact Texas law also.
KR- It is my understanding that Vice responds to complaints about lewd behavior, regular patrol responds to car theft, etc. They are two completely different departments.
As for Texass and it’s backwards law, get this. When you buy your house you do not own the mineral rights under that house/land unless specified in the contract. If the gas company that does own the mineral rights decides that your backyard is the perfect spot for drilling, guess what? You wake up everyday with a team of “frackers” in your backyard. Go figure.
Well – I can’t say that I “approve” of these establishments – but I should say “they’re not for me, to each their own”…what I will say is, how many times has the Iniquity Club @ I-35 and Composite Drive been raided? And for those that don’t know – this is an adult “swingers” club – although they do not promote sex on the site – I hardly see a need for their “fantasy” suits for other reasons – and you can’t tell me that “pantyless Fridays” are anymore appropriate then men walking around nude in a PRIVATE club…and what about “Bombshells Nude Cabaret” just up the street?? just because the male patrons may be dressed, I hardly see nude lamp dances from oiled up pole dancers being appropriate behavior. But, you don’t see the cops busting in their door….hmmmmmmmmmm, maybe someone, and by someone, I mean ME…start complaining…I mean after all…eye for an eye right? It may not help the patrons in this story – but it could go to prove a point – especially if they don’t raid them after “complaints” have been made….
Texas, oh how archaic our society is…..wasting tax dollars. I’m concerned about the role of government on how these laws are used and implemented. I’m guessing it’s cheaper to send Vice in to arrest a few men and do it on a consistant basis where people stop going. The City can then move in and shut it down and then buy the property without having to settle in court over eminent domain rights. Great plan! In any case, I’m going to hope that someone recognizes the need for public health advocacy at these venues and the necessity to provide a safe place for gay men to meet. Whatever else happens between 2 consenting adults is their business, not the governments.
As in Houston and other major cities, victimless “crimes” are a necessary source of revenue in Dallas. Most of these guys will get deferred sentences and pay tens of thousands into the system. Vice operations like this are relatively safe and easy, unlike chasing down violent offenders. Law enforcement takes credit for making the city “safer” and they are cheered on by the naive masses. It’s an industry, but has nothing at all to do with public safety.
I think the one guys was right, with the rail line comming thru those property’s values are going to skyrocket, the city and its politcal employees are going to want there cut so to speak, same stuff happend in Kehma not all that long ago, I hate to say it but its just the way things are where money is concerned, most cops are just doing there jobs, they would not bother that place unless they had to, alot are homophobic and would rather just stay away, so when a confrontaion is forced they tend to be pretty big A — holes. I wish things were more fair.
Don’t forget everyone, it’s ELECTION TIME!
I used to go there in the past and have not been in a while. I have heard such stuff happens there. I also know that drugs happen there too. I understand getting arrested for having drugs. I smell them when I go there and people are tweeked out on the stuff. I do not however feel that the people getting arrested for public lewdness is fair by any means. Everyone know what a gay bathhouse is all about. If not rent the movie the Ritz. I do not feel that should be considered public place that you pay a fee and it is a PRIVATE club. A place to unwind and kick back. I could go to the Gentlemen’s Club and have sex there. I sure bet you that I would just be ignored, or get a slap on the wrist. I feel it is another rainbow club story that need to be really looked into by the law and ALL persons involved. If public lewdness is illegal in such a place they need to post what it is that will get you into trouble etc. It is shame that Texas is the last state to have such a stupid law, then again there are a lot of laws that are 18th and some 20th century that needs to be eliminated or really revised. I really feel for those that were caught. I was caught at Bally’s in a scam and a trap. I will never go back to bally’s again ever!!!! Again to remind you all that no kids are allowed at club dallas either. It just tears me up that they are arrested for such a stupid reason like public lewdness in a private establishment. One can hope this will go to the supreme court and have this stupid law in Texas changed and updated.
“Illegal activity”? I thought gay sex was ruled by the supreme court to be as protected as any other sex. I wonder if the police are raiding any swingers clubs? The illegal activity they are talking about is adult men having sex with other consenting adult men, in a place that is safe and where free condoms are always available. I’ve been to both clubs and never seen any other illegal activities. Not saying that there may not be some going on sometimes, but I have never seen it. Its just too bad that the Dallas police have no real crime to worry about. Or maybe, its just safer and easier for them to harrass naked gay men as opposed to confronting armed criminals