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Thomas J. Cahill was chief of police in San Francisco, California from 1958–70. People called him Tom. He was born June 8, 1910. His family repatriated to County Kilkenny, Ireland when he was a child and Cahill returned to San Francisco in 1930.

An aspiring teacher, Cahill studied to become a teacher at Ring College in Dungarvan, Ireland and received the school's Gold Ring Award, granted only to student who could speak, read and write Gaelic. But, after returning to San Francisco at the age of nineteen, Cahill, as a red-headed Irishman, could find little work and drove for the City Ice company. He then chose the profession of law enforcement and entered the police department as a recruit, graduating from the San Francisco police academy in July 1942.

His first assignment was as a beat patrolman attached to the Potrero station. Later, he worked in the accident investigation unit and in 1946 he joined the bureau of inspectors. A year later he was assigned to the homicide division, and was eventually appointed Deputy Chief. Elevated to Chief in September 1958, Cahill succeeded Frances J. Ahern upon Ahern's death from a heart attack at a baseball game. Cahill's first statement after assuming the office of Chief was that Ahern's policies would continue in force; this meant "strict departmental discipline, heads up efficiency and a "closed town". Colleagues remarked that Cahill "enjoyed every detail in police problems and the pursuit of justice".^{[citation needed]}

Chief Cahill was one of the finest police chiefs that San Francisco and indeed the State of California has ever had.^{[citation needed]} He was on his honeymoon in 1970, when he was unexpectedly terminated by Mayor Joseph Alioto who appointed Alfred Nelder as San Francisco Police Chief. Chief Cahill was totally blindsided by Mayor Alioto's move.^{[citation needed]} Alioto felt Cahill was too "rigid" and "old fashioned" for law enforcement in 1970s San Francisco. This was indeed a shame, as Cahill loved, lived, and breathed the SFPD. While Al Nelder was a good chief and an honorable man, he was not the iconic figure that Tom Cahill was.^{[citation needed]} After Chief Cahill's termination he became Chief of Security for Pac Bell in San Francisco and eventually retired. He died October 12, 2002 in Lake County at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Clearlake Park, California. He was survived by four children and many grandchildren. His favorite grandchild was Shannon, his Munecita Linda.

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