The Cops Were Stupid, Obama was right

The Cambridge police officer at the center of the controversy over the arrest of a black Harvard professor says he will not apologize for the incident, the Boston media report.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at his home near Harvard last week after a neighbor called in a report of a possible break-in. Gates, who was returning from a trip abroad, and his driver, had been trying to force open a front door.

The professor eventually got inside, by using a back door, when police arrived. The police report indicates that a heated exchange occurred although Gates showed his Harvard ID police allege that Gates initially refused to identify himself. In any case, Gates was handcuffed and arrested, although charges were later dropped.

Gates, 58, who charges that the arrest was racially motivated, has demanded that the police officer, Sgt. James Crowley, apologize for the incident. USA TODAY reports that the incident has ignited a long-simmering national debate over racial profiling.

Crowley, in an exclusive interview with the Boston Herald, says he harbors no ill feelings toward the professor but will not apologize.

I just have nothing to apologize for, he tells the Herald. It will never happen.

The Boston Globe reports that Crowley says Gates' arrest was not racially motivated. "I am not a racist," The Globe quotes the officer as saying.

The paper says Crowley had no comment to President Obama's statement last night that the policeman acted "stupidly" in arresting Gates in his own home.

The Globe also reports that a Cambridge police union expressed "full and unqualified support" for Crowley.

Update at 10:20 a.m. ET: Crowley gives a long interview this morning with WEEI, a Boston sport radio station, in which he offers more details about the incident.

Click here to listen to the entire interview.

He tells The Dennis & Callahan Morning Show that Gates refused to answer whether there was someone in the house with him. He also says he asked Gates to step outside for the officer's "own safety."

Crowley tells WEEI that Gates was very upset from the beginning. "It's not just what he said, but how he said it. It was somewhat peculiar."

The police officer says he asked Gates for a driver's license even after seeing his Harvard ID because the university document does not include an address, which would have verified that Gates was, in fact, in his own home.

Crowley says that Gates followed him outside and continued to speak loudly and that the officer twice warned him about possible arrest, the second time while holding a pair of handcuffs.

He tells WEEI that arresting Gates was "something I really didn't want to do."

As for President Obama's comments on the incident, Crowley says it is "disappointing that he waded into what should be a local issue."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• The Cops Were Stupid
• Obama was right
• Dancerooster

[sjdss]

barry 57 states soetoro! is controlled by his white master democrats! hes the biggest fraud ever in history! and EVERYONE! who voted for him is to BLAME! for our countries problems!

[stephenabm]

Obama is a racist for reacting in this way. The cop was correct in making this arrest.

[Moralvorstellung7]

I don't believe this nigger.

[TheBlacsheep]

If there's one thing Blacks should have learned by now, it's that, it takes at least 40 to 50 years for Whites to admit their racism! Just as back in the 50's and 60's, the Whites of that time didn't think that their actions were racist, and now they concede. We can't expect today White man to admit his racist acts and actions until somewhere around 2040 or 2050!

They're simply NEVER racist in their own time!

[Shargrailar]

@dnboland Its hard to change opinions via youtube comments but that is fine, we all don't see eye to eye and you no doubt have reasons for your beliefs, so I will agree to disagree with you in this particular instance.

Rogue cops should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law but they need to be proven guilty and I will not buy the race card just because a harvard professor wants to race bait.

Crowley stuck to his guns even when faced with the president.

[Shargrailar]

@dnboland Everything I have heard from Crowleys service record to fellow police officers statements make him a credit to his service.

Look at Gates after the arrest on all the shows and he completely basks in the limelight throwing the race card got him. Damn even Obama said to the press he did not have "all the details" but it sounded like the cops were in the wrong!

This whole debacle brings us down as a society, I firmly stand with in the remove race from this, from everything.

[Shargrailar]

@dnboland I appreciate your civility. If I was in my underwear at night and ran to the door to find a cop there responding to what a neighbor thought was a break in to my own apartment I would get my id and prove who I am and assist the officer in his line of duty.

I would not ask him "wtf are you doing ringing my bell at 11pm" or " whats your name and badge number as this is bs".

I am sorry if you may have run afoul of a rogue cop but I will not blame them all for an individuals actions.

[dnboland]

@Shargrailar and i would like to apologize publicly for stating that your personal opinion in one way or another would deem you "broken" on the inside. in no way is this personal. i also believe that no matter what you write in response you as a citizen, would not appreciate being arrested for asking for a badge number and name of an officer.

[dnboland]

@Shargrailar there are many "hammers" out in the world, not only cops. and "hammers" dont look at race. and if you were a cop and arrested a taxpaying citizen that hasnt broken any laws AFTER he identified himself and proved he lived at that address then something in you is broken.

[dnboland]

@dnboland REMOVE RACE FROM THIS: as an american citizens, we should not condone the lack of common sense used by officers throughout this country. it bogs down the court system and tax payer money is wasted by frivolous arrests. if you like wasting tax dollars and the time of judges then you my good man are an ...