Obama: Police who arrested professor 'acted stupidly'

[Buckaroo]

Obama: Police who arrested professor 'acted stupidly' - CNN.com

(CNN) -- President Obama said that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor last week after a confrontation at the man's home.


"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference.
Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday.
Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend.
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."
The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society."

Watch the president address the incident »
Gates told CNN on Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive.
"This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien.
Gates said he'd be prepared to forgive the arresting officer "if he told the truth" about what the director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research said were "fabrications" in the police report.


The officer, Sgt. James Crowley, told CNN affiliate WCVB earlier Wednesday that he will not apologize.
"There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing," he said.
Gates said the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, called him to apologize about the incident, in which he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
CNN could not confirm Wednesday night that an apology was made. Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons did not respond to requests by CNN for comment.
Crowley wrote in the Cambridge police report that Gates refused to step outside to speak with him, the police report said, and when Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.
The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.
"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report.
Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station.
He said Wednesday that he and his lawyers were considering further actions, not excluding a lawsuit.

Gates said that although the ordeal had upset him, "I would do the same thing exactly again."

Earlier this week, a prosecutor dropped the charge against Gates and the city's police department recommended that the matter not be pursued.

Quite amazing that our chief law enforcement officer can make this determination with the facts at hand..... Sickening!

Buckaroo

 

[Bigum1969]

I think this incident really shows how challenging a job LEOs have in our current climate in this country. IMHO the officer(s) are screwed in this case. Gates (the Harvard professor) had no respect for the officers. No matter what happened, he wasn't going to show respect to the officers.

The officers were doing their job, responding to a call of someone breaking into a house. Once they arrived at the house and ran into Gates, their fate was sealed.

I'm glad to hear that our teleprompter-in-chief is fit to judge the incident when it hasn't been fully investigated. He must be one smart dude.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Again the words of this man, pretending to be a uniter, is nothing more than a divider. He has an agenda and it isn't bringing people together or making America stronger.

 

[spartan933]

Yep, this pisses me off. If the President would have kept his mouth shut, this would have not turned into a national super story. Now, he is not backing up the cops. The guy is just begging not to get re-elected. I read the article on MSNBC. I like how the cop is standing up for himself and not apologizing.

And, Bigum1969 is right. The Harvard Professor always beats the Cops because he works at Harvard. Everyone should know, if you go to Harvard, you know better than everyone else. I think that BS was discussed in Good Will Hunting. How you like them apples?

It always amazes me when people get disorderly conduct charges because technically, they aren't doing anything except being (insert expletive). But, once the cops show up, they decide to be belligerent and that's what gets them in trouble. Just because the cops show up, doesn't mean you have to get ****** with them. I always look at it like, "alright, these are guys, probably like the same stuff I do, I am sure we can reason together". Apparently, if you go to Harvard, you are special.

It's too early for this BS. I am now adding tequila to my coffee.

 

[jtmarine1911]

I think it is funny that Barry left out the comment made by Gates to the officers of " You don't know who you are messing with".

IMHO I would have taken that as a threat, especially with his attitude at the time and arrested him too. How did the officers know whether or not he was making a threat with that comment and going to pull a weapon.

 

[antsi]

It's the same Obama approach to any controversy: praise vaguely, spank vaguely, and give a nod to the "complexity" of the issue while avoiding actually getting in to those complexities.

Remember his Middle East outreach speech? If a woman chooses to cover her head, that's not oppression. Huh? What about the women who "choose" to be stoned to death because their head covering slipped off in public?

Same thing here. "I don't know what role race played?" Well, just guessing Mr President, but I'm pretty sure race grievances played a role in Gates' total meltdown and loss of control over his own behavior. Sure, dealing with Authority is usually frustrating and annoying. But if I lose my cool and start mouthing off to a cop, I should pretty much expect I'm going to get dealth back 10x as much guff as I deal out. Proceeding to then whine and martyr myself for the guff I get is self-indulgent to the extreme.

Just another guess about the role of race in this thing, but I'm betting if a white guy mouthed off to the cops and got arrested for disorderly, the city wouldn't have apologized and dropped the charges within 24 hours.

 

[Hoosier8]

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gl...crubs-henry-louis-gates-arrest-report-website

Some of the police report.

On Thursday July 16, 2009, Henry Gates, Jr. - -, of Ware Street, Cambridge, MA) was placed under arrest at Ware Street, after being observed exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior, in a public place, directed at a uniformed police officer who was present investigating a report of a crime in progress. These actions on the behalf of Gates served no legitimate purpose and caused citizens passing by this location to stop and take notice while appearing surprised and alarmed.

...When I arrived at Ware Street I radioed ECC and asked that they have the caller meet me at the front door to this residence. I was told that the caller was already outside. As I was getting this information, I climbed the porch stairs toward the front door. As [reached the door, a female voice called out to me. I looked in the direction of the voice and observed a white female, later identified {} who was standing on the sidewalk in front of the residence, held a wireless telephone in her hand arid told me that it was she who called. She went on to tell me that she observed what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the porch of• Ware Street. She told me that her suspicions were aroused when she observed one of the men wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry. Since I was the only police officer on location and had my back to the front door as I spoke with her, I asked that she wait for other responding officers while I investigated further.

As I turned and faced the door, I could see an older black male standing in the foyer of {} Ware Street. I made this observation through the glass paned front door. As I stood in plain view of this man, later identified as Gates, I asked if he would step out onto the porch and speak with me. He replied “no I will not”. He then demanded to know who I was. I told him that I was “Sgt. Crowley from the Cambridge Police” and that I was “investigating a report of a break in progress” at the residence. While I was making this statement, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed “why, because I’m a black man in America?”. I then asked Gates if there was anyone else in the residence. While yelling, he told me that it was none of my business and accused me of being a racist police officer. I assured Gates that I was responding to a citizen’s call to the Cambridge Police and that the caller was outside as we spoke. Gates seemed to ignore me and picked up a cordless telephone and dialed an unknown telephone number. As he did so, I radioed on channel I that I was off in the residence with someone who appeared to be a resident but very uncooperative. I then overheard Gates asking the person on the other end of his telephone call to “get the chief’ and “whats the chiefs name?’. Gates was telling the person on the other end of the call that he was dealing with a racist police officer in his home. Gates then turned to me and told me that I had no idea who I was “messing” with and that I had not heard the last of it. While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me. I asked Gates to provide me with photo identification so that I could verify that he resided at Ware Street and so that I could radio my findings to ECC. Gates initially refused, demanding that I show him identification but then did supply me with a Harvard University identification card. Upon learning that Gates was affiliated with Harvard, I radioed and requested the presence of the Harvard University Police.

With the Harvard University identification in hand, I radioed my findings to ECC on channel two and prepared to leave. Gates again asked for my name which I began to provide. Gates began to yell over my spoken words by accusing me of being a racist police officer and leveling threats that he wasn’t someone to mess with. At some point during this exchange, I became aware that Off. Carlos Figueroa was standing behind me. When Gates asked a third time for my name, I explained to him that I had provided it at his request two separate times. Gates continued to yell at me. I told Gates that I was leaving his residence and that if he had any other questions regarding the matter, I would speak with him outside of the residence.

As I began walking through the foyer toward the front door, I could hear Gates agai,n demanding my name. I again told Gates that I would speak with him outside. My reason for wanting to leave the residence was that Gates was yelling very loud and the acoustics of the kitchen and foyer were making it difficult for me to transmit pertinent information to ECC or other responding units. His reply was “ya, I’ll speak with your mama outside”. When I left the residence, I noted that there were several Cambridge and Harvard University police officers assembled on the sidewalk in front of the residence. Additionally, the caller, md at least seven unidentified passers-by were looking in the direction of Gates, who had followed me outside of the residence.

As I descended the stairs to the sidewalk, Gates continued to yell at me, accusing me of racial bias and continued to tell me that I had not heard the last of him. Due to the tumultuous manner Gates had exhibited in his residence as well as his continued tumultuous behavior outside the residence, in view of the public, I warned Gates that he was becoming disorderly. Gates ignored my warning and continued to yell, which drew the attention of both the police officers and citizens, who appeared surprised and alarmed by Gates’s outburst. For a second time I warned Gates to calm down while I withdrew my department issued handcuffs from their carrying case. Gates again ignored my warning and continued to yell at me. It was at this time that I informed Gates that he was under arrest. I then stepped up the stairs, onto the porch and attempted to place handcuffs on Gates. Gates initially resisted my attempt to handcuff him, yelling that he was “disabled” and would fall without his cane. After the handcuffs were property applied, Gates complained that they were too tight. I ordered Off. Ivey, who was among the responding officers, to handcuff Gates with his arms in front of him for his comfort while I secured a cane for Gates from within the residence. I then asked Gates if he would like an officer to take possession of his house key and secure his front door, which he left wide open. Gates told me that the door was un securable due to a previous break attempt at the residence. Shortly thereafter, a Harvard University maintenance person arrived on scene and appeared familiar with Gates. I asked Gates if he was comfortable with this Harvard University maintenance person securing his residence. He told me that he was.

 

[Boilers]

I'd like to see a fight between these two...

 

[dsol]

I agree, this is BS.

You should flavor coffee with burbon, not tequila

Yep, this pisses me off. If the President would have kept his mouth shut, this would have not turned into a national super story. Now, he is not backing up the cops. The guy is just begging not to get re-elected. I read the article on MSNBC. I like how the cop is standing up for himself and not apologizing.

And, Bigum1969 is right. The Harvard Professor always beats the Cops because he works at Harvard. Everyone should know, if you go to Harvard, you know better than everyone else. I think that BS was discussed in Good Will Hunting. How you like them apples?

It always amazes me when people get disorderly conduct charges because technically, they aren't doing anything except being (insert expletive). But, once the cops show up, they decide to be belligerent and that's what gets them in trouble. Just because the cops show up, doesn't mean you have to get ****** with them. I always look at it like, "alright, these are guys, probably like the same stuff I do, I am sure we can reason together". Apparently, if you go to Harvard, you are special.

It's too early for this BS. I am now adding tequila to my coffee.

 

[eatsnopaste]

Sgt. Crowely is screwed. In my opinion he arrested the man because he was embarrassed in front of his peers. Really? the acoustics in the house were bad? BS! Was the guy a RICHARD? Sure sounds like it, but that isn't a reason to be arrested. He was in his own house, as soon as Sgt. Crowely ascertained that the call wasn't a burglary he should have left.

 

[nighthawk80]

Gosh, after reading the police report, it was not hard to see that Mr. Harvard Man was in the wrong.
Man, the guy was just trying to do his job, but ended up getting berated for it. Someone give this cop a Rep!

 

[HICKMAN]

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played"

Yet you make a statement to the entire nation that they "acted stupidly".... what a dumbtard President we have...

 

[GBultra]

I don't know what's better, everyone here siding with the cop even though there are no facts or that the cop thinking that he deserves utmost respect above common citizens. Haha! He's screwed!

 

[HICKMAN]

PDF copy of the report

http://www.amnation.com/vfr/Police report on Gates arrest.PDF

 

[HICKMAN]

I don't know what's better, everyone here siding with the cop even though there are no facts or that the cop thinking that he deserves utmost respect above common citizens. Haha! He's screwed!

Where did you pull that out from?

 

[Bigum1969]

As bad as Gates was treating the officer and making a scene, the officer had to know somewhere in the back of his mind the storm he was going to cause when he arrested Gates. I'm not saying he didn't do the right thing, I'm just saying the arrest was going to lead nowhere but where we are today.

It's too bad it's come to this in our country today. Knowing the current climate, I would've just walked away if I were the officer.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Where did you pull that out from?

Nice rhetorical question.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

The DA wisely refused to prosecute.

We'll wait and see what happens in the civil suit. I do not believe it will go well for the City of Cambridge.

Lesson learned here, when the police show up, Eddie Haskell up.

 

[44 MAGNUM SHOOTER]

Here is a poll from thoses creeps at MSNBC. The results so far are good in my opinion. HIT IT

Newsvine - Should President Obama have said Cambridge police 'acted stupidly' in arresting Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.?


Hope this link works..

 

[Dr Falken]

I had heard the news report on this and initially felt that the Professor was justified in his response. I didn't get the full picture of his rant in the news report that I heard. A few things that come to my mind is ;

1) The Officer wanted to control the situation and may not really have thought about how that might appear to the black home owner.
2) The Professor was in his own home and didn't think that maybe the Officer was just trying to make sure everything was alright.
3) Both the Professor and Officer have had past experiences in the past that influenced how they acted, or rather over reacted
4) The President does not help the situation with his comments.
5) I may have acted the same if approached at my house, if asked the same questions, especially if I was pissed about being locked out or someother situation.
6) Being a Police Officer is a difficult job.

I don't know that the Professor ought to have been arrested. Another officer should have intervened, and the original Officer should have let it go. But I wasn't there.