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Black officer at scholar's home supports arrest

Sergeant Crowley doesn't come off looking bad at all, in my book....and that's saying something because cops and I generally do not get along.

He investigated a report of a break-in, Gates went full retard because he saw a white cop standing on his porch (never mind that the reason he was there was because a white neighbor saw what looked like a someone breaking into Gates' home and called the cops about it--doing basically what good neighbors are supposed to do, which is look out for each other), and when Gates wouldn't put his mouth in neutral, Crowley did the next best thing and put it in park.

I personally think he does. He had zero reason to even stay at the scene after confirming that there was not a break-in in progress. See ID, leave. Sure, Gates could have been more co-operative, but that officer had no reason, legal or otherwise, to stay in Gates' home after confirming his identity.

And could you explain what you mean by "full-retard"? It's not an expression I've ever heard before.
 
It shows that cops and the DA have better things to worry about than piss-ant professors.

Gates disturbed the peace. He got himself a four-hour time out at the police station to ruminate on the relative wisdom of calling cops racist in public.

The cops asked the DA to enter nolle prosequi in the case--like they do in a number of disturbing the peace cases--because once everyone calms down, there's no compelling need to haul his ass before a judge.

It's not a BS arrest. It would be a BS prosecution if the DA pursued it, but that doesn't make it a BS arrest.

I think they were embarassed by the whole thing and new there was no reason for the arrest. Look, I agree with many of your points. People lose their ****, I get that. I just do not think the government should have a right to come onto your property and arrest you for arguing with police. If the officer would have left it would have been over.
 
I think they were embarassed by the whole thing and new there was no reason for the arrest. Look, I agree with many of your points. People lose their ****, I get that. I just do not think the government should have a right to come onto your property and arrest you for arguing with police. If the officer would have left it would have been over.

Instead he radioed for back-up, multiple times, for an elderly man who'd already confirmed that there was no crime in progress. A bit extreme there.
 
Instead he radioed for back-up, multiple times, for an elderly man who'd already confirmed that there was no crime in progress. A bit extreme there.

A crippled at that!:doh
 
Instead he radioed for back-up, multiple times, for an elderly man who'd already confirmed that there was no crime in progress. A bit extreme there.

people don't like to be talked down to.

Most of us, if given the authority to "get even", would abuse that authority to do so. Hopegully most of us would regret it later, but sadly, this isn't the case here.

Clearly any said peace disturbance would go away if the cop left the persons property. He chose to use his power to the fullest and make an arrest. to "get even".

If someone wants to step forward as an actual victim, I will happily change my tune. Until then, textbook case of competing egos and abuse of power.
 
people don't like to be talked down to.

Most of us, if given the authority to "get even", would abuse that authority to do so. Hopegully most of us would regret it later, but sadly, this isn't the case here.

Clearly any said peace disturbance would go away if the cop left the persons property. He chose to use his power to the fullest and make an arrest. to "get even".

If someone wants to step forward as an actual victim, I will happily change my tune. Until then, textbook case of competing egos and abuse of power.

That's the thing though. Police officers are charged with protecting the law. We depend on them to help keep us all safe. If they're arresting people to "get even", that then weakens the trust we need to have in them as administrators of the law.
 
Gates did not disturb the peace, if they felt he did, then make a charge stick.
To what end? Gates calmed down after his time-out at the police station....what more would making the charge stick accomplish?
 
To what end? Gates calmed down after his time-out at the police station....what more would making the charge stick accomplish?

It would show example to the claims of few of you had made, that it is illegal to stand on your property and call the police racist.
 
And could you explain what you mean by "full-retard"? It's not an expression I've ever heard before.
From the Celtic Lord Dictionary of Online Communications:
Main Entry: full retard
Pronunciation:\-ˌri-ˈtärd\
Function: adjective
Date: 21st century

1: characterized by extraordinary stupidity and recklessness, usually with painful and/or embarrassing consequence.
 
Instead he radioed for back-up, multiple times, for an elderly man who'd already confirmed that there was no crime in progress. A bit extreme there.
Cops do that all the time. It's called having witnesses. More friendly eyeballs now means less talking to Internal Affairs later.
 
To what end? Gates calmed down after his time-out at the police station....what more would making the charge stick accomplish?


The police do not get to play the part of judge. They should not make arrests simply so people can "cool off". The purpose of law enforcement is to protect the rights of people in a civilized society. Nobody is showing me who's rights were violated by Gates, all you are doing is acting like it is OK for the cop to act like the judge and meter out punishment.
 
The police do not get to play the part of judge. They should not make arrests simply so people can "cool off". The purpose of law enforcement is to protect the rights of people in a civilized society. Nobody is showing me who's rights were violated by Gates, all you are doing is acting like it is OK for the cop to act like the judge and meter out punishment.




Uhm, Arresting someone is not playing "judge". infact by definition it is not. :confused:
 
The police do not get to play the part of judge. They should not make arrests simply so people can "cool off". The purpose of law enforcement is to protect the rights of people in a civilized society. Nobody is showing me who's rights were violated by Gates, all you are doing is acting like it is OK for the cop to act like the judge and meter out punishment.
It's not punishment at all. It's the ultimate in de-escalation: take people out of the situation so things settle down.

If I've got a neighbor standing out in public yelling that cops are racist I'm likely to shout back at him to shut the hell up, and when he doesn't I'm equally likely to walk up to him and shut him up myself. So I'm quite OK with a cop hauling the pissant prof off to the lockup for a few hours to cool his jets....saves me the time and trouble and court appearances for giving his mealy mouth the slapping it deserves.
 
It's not punishment at all. It's the ultimate in de-escalation: take people out of the situation so things settle down.

If I've got a neighbor standing out in public yelling that cops are racist I'm likely to shout back at him to shut the hell up, and when he doesn't I'm equally likely to walk up to him and shut him up myself. So I'm quite OK with a cop hauling the pissant prof off to the lockup for a few hours to cool his jets....saves me the time and trouble and court appearances for giving his mealy mouth the slapping it deserves.

And saves you the likely civil suit!;)
 
Uhm, Arresting someone is not playing "judge". infact by definition it is not. :confused:

It was stated that cops use disorderly conduct as a charge that they never intend to see proceed through the court system.
 
Cops do that all the time. It's called having witnesses. More friendly eyeballs now means less talking to Internal Affairs later.

Multiple times though, to the point where there were five cruisers from two different precincts outside the house of an elderly man whose only crime was shouting? That's a little extreme.
 
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It's not punishment at all. It's the ultimate in de-escalation: take people out of the situation so things settle down.

If I've got a neighbor standing out in public yelling that cops are racist I'm likely to shout back at him to shut the hell up, and when he doesn't I'm equally likely to walk up to him and shut him up myself. So I'm quite OK with a cop hauling the pissant prof off to the lockup for a few hours to cool his jets....saves me the time and trouble and court appearances for giving his mealy mouth the slapping it deserves.

the ultimate deescalation in this case would of been for the cop to walk away.
 
It's not punishment at all. It's the ultimate in de-escalation: take people out of the situation so things settle down.

If I've got a neighbor standing out in public yelling that cops are racist I'm likely to shout back at him to shut the hell up, and when he doesn't I'm equally likely to walk up to him and shut him up myself. So I'm quite OK with a cop hauling the pissant prof off to the lockup for a few hours to cool his jets....saves me the time and trouble and court appearances for giving his mealy mouth the slapping it deserves.

But why should he have to risk paying money to lawyers, and going to court, when there was not a crime committed? Because he's an asshole? That's out of their jurisdiction:2razz:
 
Multiple times though, to the point where there were five cruisers from two different precincts outside the house of an elderly man whose only crime was shoutig?
Once Crowley realized he was dealing with a Harvard Professor (i.e., a bloviating blowhard bigot), he called for Harvard cops to be on scene as well.

Smart move on his part, actually; now Gates looks like a dork on campus as well as off.
 
the ultimate deescalation in this case would of been for the cop to walk away.
He was. Gates decided that wasn't enough and decided to follow Sergeant Crowley outside. That was dumb.

Gates decided to yell at Sergeant Crowley outside. That was stupid.

Gates decided to yell that the cops were racist outside. That was full retard--and disturbing the peace to boot.

Game, set, match to Sergeant Crowley.
 
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