Jump to content

Cambridge Police


DangBruhY

Do you think Cambridge police made the right decision arresting Gates?  

51 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you think Cambridge police made the right decision arresting Gates?

    • Yes
      35
    • No
      16


Recommended Posts

Am I the only one pissed off at incident with the Cambridge Police Dept? Even Obama threw some slander towards the PD. It looks as if all PDs are standing up and saying that what he said was not right.

For all you liberals...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/24/officer.gates.arrest/index.html

For all the conservitives...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/24/cambridge-police-unit-demands-apology-obama-stupidly-remark/

The Cambridge and area police unions voiced their support Friday for Sgt. James Crowley and demanded an apology from President Obama for saying officers "acted stupidly" for arresting black Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his home.

"His remarks were obviously misdirected but made it worse yet by suggesting somehow this case should remind us of a history of racial abuse by law enforcement," Dennis O'Connor, president of the Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, said at a news conference.

"Whatever may be the history, we deeply resent the implications and reject any suggestion that in this case or any other case that they've allowed a person's race to direct their activities."

At a news conference Friday, union leaders said Crowley acted appropriately when he arrested the scholar for disorderly conduct. Police say Gates flew into a rage when officers responding to a report of a burglary asked him to show identification.

Obama said the officers "acted stupidly." Patrick, the state's first black governor, said the arrest was "every black man's nightmare."

White House spokesman Roberts Gibbs said Friday that Obama regrets that the media have gotten all worked up over the controversy and been distracted from other more substantive issues such as health care.

Obama's remarks sparked outrage among many police officers who say the criticism could make it harder for police to work with people of color and set back the progress of race relations that helped Obama become the nation's first black president.

Gates was arrested July 16 by Sgt. James Crowley, who was first to respond to the home the renowned black scholar rents from Harvard, after a woman reported seeing two black men trying to force open the front door. Gates said he had to shove the door open because it was jammed.

He was charged with disorderly conduct after police said he yelled at the white officer, accused him of racial bias and refused to calm down after Crowley demanded Gates show him identification to prove he lived in the home. The charge was dropped Tuesday, but Gates has demanded an apology, calling his arrest a case of racial profiling.

Obama was asked about Gates' arrest at the end of a nationally televised news conference on health care Wednesday night and began his response by saying Gates was a friend and he didn't have all the facts.

"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry," Obama said. "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 -- what I think we know separate and apart from this incident -- is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that's just a fact."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 78
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I think its stupid that people are trying to stir the pot about something as stupid as this. I don't care if you're in your home or not, if a LEO asks for identification you have to provide it. I agree with the PD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's bullshit that Obama jumped to conclusions when making the remarks about the police officers. Every eyewitness there said Gates was yelling at the officers and not cooperating. I'm sorry, but if someone called the cops because they thought someone was breaking into my home, I'd be thankful the neighbors cared, and thankful the police actually showed up. All the guy had to do was cooperate, show the police his ID, and keep his cool. Instead, he immediately took the defensive and caused problems for himself. I'm white and I've been arrested for disorderly conduct. Should I join the racism bandwagon? No, I was acting like an idiot (however both instances were really funny). Just my two cents I guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think its stupid that people are trying to stir the pot about something as stupid as this. I don't care if you're in your home or not, if a LEO asks for identification you have to provide it. I agree with the PD

PD was 100% correct, if a neighbor see's someone they don't recognize trying to break into my house (whether it's me or not) I hope they do call the cops. I would fully expect the cops to do the same thing to me, and I'd thank them for searching my house to be sure there wasn't somebody in the house holding a member of my family hostage or hiding until they left, etc...

After everything checks out and the cops leave I'll go thank that neighbor for looking out...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all if I break into a house and then the cops knock on the door I definitely would open it and start shooting the shit with them. <-sarcasm

Now I haven't met Professor Gates but I am going to go out on a limb and say that he is probably an ungodly intelligent man and comes across the same. If the cops are so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a 58 year old Harvard Professor and a burglar then maybe they made the wrong career choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all if I break into a house and then the cops knock on the door I definitely would open it and start shooting the shit with them. <-sarcasm

Now I haven't met Professor Gates but I am going to go out on a limb and say that he is probably an ungodly intelligent man and comes across the same. If the cops are so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a 58 year old Harvard Professor and a burglar then maybe they made the wrong career choice.

They weren't worried about him being the burglar. They had a call that two men were trying to force themselves into the home. Once they verified his identity, they needed to clear the home to make sure he was alone. He said he'd just got home, so it was feasible there were burglars in the home and he didn't know it yet. They had to clear the situation. It's their job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the cops are so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a 58 year old Harvard Professor and a burglar then maybe they made the wrong career choice.

Apparel doesn't mean you're a good person. :slap: If I'm in a suit I get the key to the city here.:p:nono: Many criminals dress nice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He answered the door and they asked for ID. How fucking hard is it to just produce some identification. How the hell do you turn that situation racial?

:werd: Just wants to stir political drama and get Al and Jesse in an uproar. I wish I could tell him to just shut the fuck up and show your ID next time. It's standard procedure to ask for ID when approaching a situation. They don't know who the fuck you are. Shutup and do it you dumbass! I've been asked to show my ID many times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparel doesn't mean you're a good person. :slap: If I'm in a suit I get the key to the city here.:p:nono: Many criminals dress nice.

I guess there is the chance that there could be very well spoken criminals out there, but usually they are called mortgage brokers or lawyers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They weren't worried about him being the burglar. They had a call that two men were trying to force themselves into the home. Once they verified his identity, they needed to clear the home to make sure he was alone. He said he'd just got home, so it was feasible there were burglars in the home and he didn't know it yet. They had to clear the situation. It's their job.

Why does he have to let them "clear the home"? If there are burglars in his home and he wants them there then it is his business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all if I break into a house and then the cops knock on the door I definitely would open it and start shooting the shit with them. <-sarcasm

Now I haven't met Professor Gates but I am going to go out on a limb and say that he is probably an ungodly intelligent man and comes across the same. If the cops are so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a 58 year old Harvard Professor and a burglar then maybe they made the wrong career choice.

The problem was that he initially refused to identify himself.

When he did, they left.

He then FOLLOWED THEM out onto the front lawn, screaming, "This is what happens to black men in America!!" over and over again, after repeated requests and then threats to keep it down or he'd be arrested. One of the cops took out his handcuffs, asked him one more time to stop shouting, and he kept on going, so they arrested him for disorderly conduct. He had actually drawn a crowd because he was being so loud.

Open and shut. The fact that the political overseers in that county/this state dropped the case is laughably permissive.

Obama should keep his damned mouth shut, too. It's not a federal matter; this isn't something the President is authorized to weigh in on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem was that he initially refused to identify himself.

When he did, they left.

He then FOLLOWED THEM out onto the front lawn, screaming, "This is what happens to black men in America!!" over and over again, after repeated requests and then threats to keep it down or he'd be arrested. One of the cops took out his handcuffs, asked him one more time to stop shouting, and he kept on going, so they arrested him for disorderly conduct. He had actually drawn a crowd because he was being so loud.

Open and shut. The fact that the political overseers in that county/this state dropped the case is laughably permissive.

Obama should keep his damned mouth shut, too. It's not a federal matter; this isn't something the President is authorized to weigh in on.

this is from the CNN link. I wasn't there though

Crowley said he tried to determine whether there was someone else at the home and wanted to ensure Gates' safety.

Gates, however, told him "that I had no idea who I was 'messing' with" and was being so loud that he could not give pertinent information to the department when he was calling in, the sergeant said.

Authorities have said they may release tapes of the officer calling in, in which Gates is heard in the background

Crowley's report said that when he asked to speak with Gates outside, the professor at one point responded, "I'll speak with your mama outside."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone can armchair quarterback this, but the police officer has a split second to make a decision sometimes. Lets say he "assumes" that the guy isn't a burglar, well by not following protocol he may end up getting shot. Its easy to look back and have a few days to analyze the situation, but he reacted to how he was trained within the limited time he had to do so. At the end of the day the whole situation could have been avoided if Mr. Gates would have just showed his damn ID.

Aside from that, I don't think the president should be commenting on a local matter, but he is biased and has a friendship with Mr. Gates. I just hope that he informs himself more on political matters before deciding on them, than he does on local cambridge matters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure I'm the biggest tree-huggerOn2 but I have to side with the PD as well. (NOTE THE DATE AND TIME. THIS MAY NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN)

They officer was trying to verify the identity of the person inside of a house, after receiving a Breaking and Entering call. The professor should have thanked him for being there, instead of unleashing a string of insults.

Hypothetically if there really WAS a burglar and the PD was slow to respond or failed to respond, and the professor's house ended up getting burgled, then he would have been pissed, for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So...

Operator: "911, what's your emergency?"

Caller: "There is a 58 year old man smashing the windows and climbing into this house. The residents are on vacation."

Operator: "Sir, did you say the man was 58 years old?"

Caller: "Yes, why?"

Operator: "58 year old men do not break into houses!" "Sir, you need to find something better to do than waste the tax payers money by tying up the emergency phone line."

*CLICK*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He answered the door and they asked for ID. How fucking hard is it to just produce some identification. How the hell do you turn that situation racial?

It just ISN'T racial at all. I don't understand why that's not standard procedure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He answered the door and they asked for ID. How fucking hard is it to just produce some identification. How the hell do you turn that situation racial?

Maybe if the cop pulled up in a marked vehicle he would have been more understanding and cooperative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...