according to saxon, during the 1960s he sent brochures about "the militant's formulary" to "several thousand" police and fire chiefs. his stated purpose was that, as a result of several officers being killed by "improvised weaponry directed at them by radicals", police and fire departments could use the literature "to recognize improvised bombs and such and their common components". however, some of the recipients believed saxon to be a radical, and sent letters stating this fact to the police in saxon's hometown of eureka, california. in response, the chief of the eureka police department replied with letters assuring the others that saxon was "on their side".