How not to win support from police unions; Update: Obama retreats; Update: Bill Cosby “shocked” by Obama’s remarks
posted at 1:17 pm on July 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Police in Cambridge have reacted predictably to having the President call them stupid, as ABC reports today. Their union lashed out at Obama for commenting without having the facts on hand, and witnesses dispute Obama’s recounting of the event:
The Cambridge, Mass., police officer who arrested Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and his union are slamming President Obama for saying they reacted “stupidly” to the incident at Gates house last week.
Obama was “was dead wrong to malign this police officer specifically and the department in general,” Alan McDonald, the lawyer for the Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, told ABC News today.
Sgt. James Crowley, who arrested Gates for disorderly conduct also chimed in today, saying Obama’s characterization was “way off base… I acted appropriately,” Crowley told WBZ Radio in Boston Thursday.
“There was a lot of yelling, there was references to my mother,” he added, “something you wouldn’t expect from anybody that should be grateful that you were there investigating a report of a crime in progress, let alone a Harvard University professor.”
The police have at least one witness to back their account of the incident:
Police disputed the extent of Gates’ cooperation, saying he didn’t initially provide identification when asked, and berated the police.
One of Crowley’s neighbors supported the sergeant’s story, saying that the police report that said Gates was belligerent was not completely off the mark.
As I twittered last night, any statement from a politician about an incident under dispute that begins, ” I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts,” should end with, “I have nothing to say until all the facts are known.” Instead, Obama took the moment immediately after acknowledging his incomplete knowledge of the incident to declare that law enforcement had acted “stupidly,” which doesn’t fit the facts as they’re unfolding now. I understand the impulse to defend a friend in a dispute, but as President and as the head of law enforcement in the nation, Obama should have given enough benefit of the doubt to the police to at least withhold judgment until he did get all the facts.
As it happens, I have also encountered hostile police responding to a house, many years ago when I was in college, at a party that drew noise complaints. Someone mouthed off about a warrant, which provoked the officer to charge into the house without permission, thump his finger repeatedly into the smart-alec’s chest, and threaten to arrest everyone at the house. His partner, obviously the wiser of the two, pulled him out of the house by the arm and asked us to reduce the noise — which we had already agreed to do. Both the smart-alec and the officer were white.
Do a few officers have judgment problems about “disorderly conduct” and are too thin-skinned about getting challenged? Sure, and if the evidence supports that conclusion in this case, it would call for some retraining and at least an apology. Jumping to a conclusion that it’s about race when there appears to be no evidence except by inference is bad enough from the media (although perhaps understandable from Gates himself), let alone from the President of the United States. Sometimes it pays to keep quiet before having all the facts.
Update: Tommy Christopher reports that the White House may soon retreat from Obama’s comments, but he thinks they were justified.
Update II: Robert Gibbs signals retreat:
The White House says President Barack Obama was not calling a Cambridge, Mass., police officer stupid when he criticized last week’s arrest of black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. …
On Wednesday Obama said the police “acted stupidly” when they arrested Gates even after it was clear that he was not a burglary suspect. Gibbs said that Obama did not regret the remark, but wanted to clarify that he was not calling the arresting officer stupid.
How could we have assumed that when Obama accused the cops of acting stupidly that we thought he meant they were stupid? And Eastasia has always been at war with Oceania, Winston.
Update III: Bill Cosby didn’t care for Obama’s intervention either:
“I’ve heard about five different reports [on the details of the arrest],” Cosby said on Boston’s WZLX. “If I’m the president of the United States, I don’t care how much pressure people want to put on it about race, I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
“I was shocked to hear the president making this kind of statement,” Cosby said referring to the president’s remarks during last night’s press conference.
Later, Cosby softened a little bit, noting that Obama lived in Cambridge and has some first-hand knowledge of the community, but still said that people should have waited to get the facts before opining.
Blowback
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Would it surprise anyone that the person who would falsely claim racism would also falsely accuse others of sexual misconduct?
AprilOrit you are sick.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 5:32 PM
I am sorry to hear that you – ahem – handled Gates’ dick – I’m sorry I thought you liked girls, my apologies.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Feeling like the shoe fits I see.
TheBigOldDog on July 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
What’s the controversy about? The policeman did act stupidly.
There’s at least one issue that I agree with Obama on. Must be the end of the world.
lutherjw on July 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
I’ve never made the case that this was racial. Perhaps you should take your own advice on the focusing.
orange on July 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
I have yet to be convinced that any officer acted out of response to being insulted. They restrained him becuase he was trying to incite people around him by yelling “this is what happens to a black man in America”
And for as much as you like to insist that he did nothing illegal, disorderly conduct is, and you can be arrested for it. The fact that they decided to drop the charges (like I said before out of undeserved courtesy) does not change that fact.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Either than I.
Blake’s flustered, it seems he knows Mr. Gates personally, so his opinion may be a tad skewed.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:35 PM
I will type slower for the legion of race baiters her eon HateAir.
Part of a Police officers job is to correctly identify the threat of the situation at hand.
Possible burglary call comes in, Police investigates.
Knocks on door a man in his mid 60′s answers the door.
Then proceeds to explain the situation. First question the officer has to ask himself based on his training, is this plausible? YES Does this man fit a profile of a burglar? NO
Sir, can you produce some ID just so I can close this one out as very watchful neighbors. This Harvard ID is not enough according to our procedures do you anything else verifying your residence here, any piece of mail will do. Thank you Mr Gates for your cooperation. Pretty cut and dry happens all the time when the police respond to false alarm calls. Anyone who has every had the Police respond to a false burglar alarm will tell this is what happens.
If you watch movies I am sure there was a gunman behind the door telling him the shoo the cop away. Now back to reality
jero_jones on July 23, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I love my wife. I am repulsed by people like you who falsely accuse others of racism and sexual misconduct. You are a sick woman and an embarrassment to conservatives.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Did’t you just make some holier than thou post about name calling? Only to come back with this passive aggressive attempt at an insult?
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:37 PM
That is beyond the pale and offensive. You’re obviously not a gentleman and pretty much a jerk.
beekiller on July 23, 2009 at 5:37 PM
April’s no embarrassment to conservatives, because she isn’t conservative, at all. She’s a rabid lefty trying to call herself conservative. She’s a failed moby.
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 5:37 PM
No I didn’t, it wasn’t relevant to that part of the discussion. A prosecutor decides to drop misdeameanor charges on a person who is friendly with the President. Not relevant to what actually happened.
ajsleepy on July 23, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Here Is The Police Report.
SilverStar830 on July 23, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Huh? Hyper-sensitive, much?
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 5:39 PM
April can’t help herself…..she needs the attention by faslsely flagging herself
sven10077 on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
This is what you said, and this is my response:
Obviously, you’ve been hanging around April and her habit of lying has rubbed off on you.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Now you’re outright lying. Explaination for taking it outside is made perfectly clear in the police report. And not trying to cause alarm buy hollering directly to the onlookers “This is what happens to a black man in America!”
I’m calling BS.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Surely Moonbats are familiar with on if their hero’s favorite quotes:
“Guilty as sin, free as a bird — what a country, America.”
– Bill Ayers
TheBigOldDog on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
So when he shouted to onlookers “This is what happens black men in America”, the officer made him say that? Or was that only for the officer’s benefit?
ajsleepy on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Typical Obama reaction…he doesn’t know what happened but he still has a strong opinion about it.
Counts also for issues related to economics, health care, world history…dumber than dirt but knows exactly what to do. He actually believes his own self-approval rating.
Harry Schell on July 23, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Oh, look! Liars lying to support each others lies!
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 5:41 PM
No, I guess my parents just raised me better. I don’t hit women either…no matter what they say or do. Some of you guys just lack class. jeeze.
beekiller on July 23, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Hey Orange regardless if you love, indifferent or hate cops, you still seem you don’t need them. Please send these extra cops this way where they are needed. You don’t appreciate what you have until its gone. Again Gates should feel fortunate his home is watched and protected compared to the western outposts here.
garydt on July 23, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Oh, poor you! AprilOrit has no class.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Funny though that Obama actually does know gates personally, but you have no problem with himn spouting off opinions on it.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:48 PM
The person most guilty of racism here is Obama. He said himself he didn’t know all the facts, but he knew that the police officer was white and that was all he needed to know.
bitsy on July 23, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Great, stop talking to me already, stop trying to get my attention.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Obsessed with yourself much?
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Ignore them, I am enjoying it becuase they are only proving my anaylsis.
They got the virus – ODS – thus the strong reactions.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:52 PM
btw….
If you can’t win the argument don’t sink to the level of draggin this into you own personal drama.
You’re welcome to leave at any time if you don’t want to talk to us. Or are you going to pull a Gates and follow us around yelling at us about how you’re being victimized?
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 5:53 PM
He was an asshole – he should have said nothing.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:53 PM
And you really know a thing or two about class huh? :D
beekiller on July 23, 2009 at 5:53 PM
He should have never commented on it, that was stupid.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 5:55 PM
That’s exactly right. We have an openly racist President in the White House.
INC on July 23, 2009 at 5:55 PM
You have a really strange habit and long history of coming up with really weird conjectures, and then in your mind and posts you assign your nonsensical suppositions to others who disagree with your fantasy analysis.
OmahaConservative on July 23, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Judging by how some are talking about this and not The One’s shaky and incoherent performance last night, you get the feeling that Mr. Gates tried to take one for the team.
StevefromMKE on July 23, 2009 at 5:57 PM
WOW
In all my years I’ve never seen a conservative fail to stop digging the hole they were in.
So, that can only leave me with one conclusion.
I’ll leave it to others to let the light bulb go off.
Most conservatives I know, also tend not to ascribe motives to others based on ones position on an issue.
The lack of reading comprehension is remarkable too…
Keith_Indy on July 23, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Hey O’Blowhole, I’ll go you one better: the electorate voted “stupidly” in the last Presidential election, and now we’re stuck with a Marxist doofus dismantling our economy.
Sweet_Thang on July 23, 2009 at 6:01 PM
And others. Please carefully consider this admission:
She is trying to incite a specific emotional reaction from you. She desires it.
Loxodonta on July 23, 2009 at 6:06 PM
You can read his mind now?
Esthier on July 23, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Those “facts” are absent from the police report.
So tell us oh brave and noble suckler from the taxpayers’ teat, why do police departments have internal affairs bureaus?
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:12 PM
A little whitewashing? or a complete rewrite of events?
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:12 PM
I know, but thanks for pointing that out, Lox. On one of the eligibility threads April was going all Garafalo with the “It’s just about hating a black man” routine. (Though April was not nearly so restrained).
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 6:14 PM
It’s in the report. Second page fourth paragraph. Go read it.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Cookies, milk, blanky, nappies. stat.
Loxodonta on July 23, 2009 at 6:17 PM
So, you missed the part where he was responding in a sarcastic manner…
Keith_Indy on July 23, 2009 at 6:19 PM
I don’t want to stoop the level of you holster sniffers, but if I did, I’d call you an idiot. Actually you’re a libelous idiot. I haven’t said a word about race, other than to say that I didn’t think the cop was acting on race and that Gates was wrong to so quickly deal the race card.
See, now you’re acting exactly in a manner that you say was wrong for Gates, you’re falsely accusing someone of racism.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Nobody wants your attention, creepy. Stop telling lies.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Tenets. You don’t want to come off like her “immanence” Judge Sotomayor.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Obama took sides- exposing what we already expected that in addition to being 1 incompetent 2 a socialist 3 ugly 4 that he’s a racist as well.
MaiDee on July 23, 2009 at 6:23 PM
I know that a AprilOrit who has lied repeatedly to support false accusations of racism and is now telling additional lies to falsely accuse me of sexual misconduct not only lacks class but is psychologically unstable. I pity anyone who comes in contact with her online or in real life. And your false analogy of my comment to physical violence, tells me that you’re two peas in a pod.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Could I ask a favor? When clipping out a small quote like that could you please attach the attibution to to poster and time?
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:26 PM
No, it’s just another one of her lies to try to save face.
Blake on July 23, 2009 at 6:27 PM
As more and more about this police officer comes out, I have a feeling Dr. Gates will rethink his threats to file a lawsuit. According to the Cambridge police, Officer Crowley was selected to teach a course in racial profiling by his black supervisor, and he has been teaching that course for the past 5 years. I think Dr. Gates picked the wrong police officer to try to use as a scapegoat to advance his personal agenda, and that’s the bottom line.
oldoldbabs on July 23, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Imagine that, a cop not wanting to give a speeding or DUI ticket to a fellow LEO, so as to protect his fellow cop’s career. Of course corruption plays no part in that.
Have you ever given a fellow LEO “professional courtesy” on a traffic stop?
Don’t bother with the canned response that you use discretion with civilians too. You’re not allowed to use discretion with fellow LEO’s. Giving them a break will necessarily be corrupt because in the back of you’re mind you’re thinking about him possibly having your back.
I wonder how you and your buddies would treat a fellow LEO who tried to get your union decertified.
I’m willing to bet that you see nothing wrong with the suburban Detroit police department that took issue with the mayor, put up their own handpicked candidate to run against him, and then illegally used public facilities to campaign against him. When investigative reporters queried the lazy public employee who’s the union president, the guy smirked and said, “prove it”.
So much respect for the law.
Public employees should not be allowed to organize unions. I’m not even sure if they should be allowed to vote while they’re on the public payroll.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:29 PM
I read the police report. The asshat in question REFUSED to identify himself and immediately began a racist tirade against the police, during an investigation into a breaking and entering complaint.
Since he refused to identify himself the cops followed procedure and arrested him. Go read the report. The only stupid people in this situation are the guy who screamed racism and the president who tried to tar hard working good cops as racists.
The cop in question is the police academy expert on racial profiling.
Bozo stepped in a very smelly pile this time.
Anyone thinking the cops acted improperly is an idiot. Some unidentified fool breaks into a house and what, expects the cops to let him go, without any proof he belongs there? Are you cracked?
dogsoldier on July 23, 2009 at 6:29 PM
When he’s implied that I’m the robber, hell yes.
It’s just normal polite behavior to apologize for inconveniencing people. I expect public employees to be polite to the public. I apologize when I inconvenience people, why should cops be any different?
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:34 PM
You want the police to apologize for DOING THEIR JOBS? The one who should have been appreciative is the property owner/resident who had such a quick police repsonse to a break-in call from a neighbor.
Get your priorities straight. I treasure private property rights and I appreciate the police who help protect my rights, a the risk of their own lives. If I am breaking into my own house, I’d be happy to know that the police show up to check it out.
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 6:37 PM
Even when he is polite even while being screamed at for trying to ascertain that information?
Perhaps you misunderstand who was being impolite in this situation. Or you have a twisted view of good manners.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Obama seems to think he’s the moral compass for EVERYONE. Even those who supported him during the campaign. Now, he bites the hands that fed him, and uses his presidency, as clout for friends, to get retribution.
I woke up yesterday, and barely recognized the United States of America anymore. Today….I think I woke up in the USSR.
capejasmine on July 23, 2009 at 6:42 PM
My first post here — so here goes trolls. Did Gates in fact not state that the door could not be secured because of a prior break in attempt? If so why did they have to throw a shoulder into the door to gain entry?
Why did they not just walk in the door? If however they door was secured, why did they just not call Harvard maintenance to allow them entry? It was after all a Harvard owned home. And, they were the ones who secured the home upon Gates arrest.
Something smells fishy about the entire situation.
trollkiller on July 23, 2009 at 6:43 PM
According to the Gates apologists here, the cops were supposed to be psychic and already know that he was the actual homeowner. To even show up and ask someone who was actually seen breaking into the house is an obvious disrespect to that person *eyeroll*.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:44 PM
How does retroactively punishing someone protect my property that he’s already stolen, and probably disposed of?
Do a simple test. Ask a cop if he is legally obligated to endanger himself to protect you or your property. Anything other than “yes, sir/maam” disproves your position.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:47 PM
If I was a cop there who had to put up with the verbal abuse while trying to do a good job of protecting property I would turn a blind eye and just let stuff happen. I can’t figure out how in the world why anyone would want to be a police officer or a doctor with all these watch dogs on your back. Like I said before we need more cops here but most of you don’t seem to appreciate what you have.
garydt on July 23, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Obama mouthed off on this issue without facts the same way he mouthed off on the Honduran situation without facts. This is a pattern of arrogance.
elduende on July 23, 2009 at 6:47 PM
This is the one brother taking care of another – instinctive reaction – like Colin Powel voting for the O.
dpierson on July 23, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Crowley specifically invited him to come outside if he wanted to continue the interchange.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Yeah Honduras has a Surpreme Court and a constitution that prohibits third terms just like the USA and here we get Clinton/BO supporting the third term usurper. I know that was off subject but how many of the cop bashers would want third world style cops?.
garydt on July 23, 2009 at 6:50 PM
When Obama can speak out for what’s right when it happens to be against the one who is the same race as him, then maybe I’ll take the post-partisan claim as something other than a complete joke.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 6:51 PM
So if I say that Obama is a scum queen I can say I really didn’t mean he was a scum queen?
Whew
drjohn on July 23, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Obamafreude!
drjohn on July 23, 2009 at 6:56 PM
ajsleepy,
Are you a public servant? Who do you work for, the people of your municipality or your police chief?
Do you have a legal obligation to protect people and their property?
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:56 PM
ajsleepy,
How many cops do you know who have retired on disability pensions?
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Juan Williams just made a good point with respect to this, even after determining that the person is the proper resident. He said that the police still should come in and do a quick check around, just to make sure that someone is not holding, say, the wife at gunpoint with the instruction to “get rid of the cops”.
Juan also said that he was taught to be polite and respectful to police. He mused that it might be because he is black that he was taught that, but I was taught the exact same thing – and I grew up in a rich, white suburb. I address very few people as “Sir” or “Ma’am”, but I always address police in that way.
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Boy you holster sniffers have very poor reading comprehension. I’ve been pretty clear that I didn’t think race had anything to do with Crowley’s poor decisions. Just another cop with hurt feelings showing a civilian who’s in charge.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 6:59 PM
I’m not a libertarian, just an American, but you’re right. Cops are trained to know how to violate people’s rights and jam them up, and tested to be sure that 20-30% of cops are psychos.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Ugh, the “holster sniffer” and “reading comprehension” bit is really tiresome – particularly coming from soneone who continiually misses points, fabricates “facts” and has a generally abrative demeanor to everyone around you. If you’ve had bad experiences with police in the past I’d bet that you attitude has a lot to do with it.
And your contempt and ingratitude for law enforcement officers is unbecoming.
You continually make your best effort to cloud the debate by making partial quotes without attibution to poster or time of post. You offer little to argument beside insults and braod generalizations about “holster sniffers” and “just another cop”. You flatly ignore every response to you that you have no answer for, but have no problem telling others that the have no reading comprehension. It’s pathetic.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Does your union only defend officers falsely accused of misconduct, or do they defend all officers accused of misconduct? If so, have you ever said even the least negative thing about a criminal defense attorney?
Your union is there to rape the public treasury and keep your fat pension, fatter than my daughter will get from the Navy.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Only if CONSERVATIVES=statists.
Plenty of cops would serve on *any* police force as long as they can push folks around.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Who the hell is surprised by Obama’s comments about the cops.
THUGS HATE COPS – DUH!!!!
Gee, next you people will be surprised at the gerbil tracks found in Barney Franks’ colonoscopy.
bill30097 on July 23, 2009 at 7:13 PM
This man, Obummer, has no class whatsoever. I look at him and think, I shoulda been president. I bet a lot of us could do a much better job. Number of kids saying they want to be president when they grow up just declined by about ninety percent. The others, including the infants, were not watching or listening to Obummer. Cover their ears, I say! I wish I could. I wish I could stick my head in the sand for a couple of weeks and realize it was just a bad dream. But it is worse than a bad dream. And it is worse than surreal. It is the real. Stare into the abyss and the Obummer stares back. Not good.
Sherman1864 on July 23, 2009 at 7:13 PM
How many of you would complain if Crowley had ignored Gates and let him just get back into his house? Seem the police are attacked if they overreact or do nothing. I still can’t figure out why would anyone want to be a cop.
garydt on July 23, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Cops in your neighborhood must love that fact that they are required to protect your rights the same as everyone else’s. Seriously though, there are very few things more disgusting than people who spit on the ones who protect them – right up there with Pelosi, Reid and Murtha.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Yep, every single cop is a noble hero.
Copper, please.
So explain why the vast majority of police officers have never had to draw their weapon on the job.
I note that you failed to mention in what discipline your “advanced degree” is in.
Something rigorous like physics/math like my son? Or in “criminal justice” like all those intellectual heavyweight scholarship athletes?
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Yep, CJ acts just like a cop.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:21 PM
Display that hate with pride brother!
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Some conservatives are leery of the term “right to privacy” since it’s not an explicit constitutional right, so it’s probably better to say the sanctity of one’s property from unreasonable interference by the state is an important conservative tenet.
Apparently when the state taxes your property these “conservatives” find it intrusive, but when the state is getting in your face armed with a firearm and threatening to deprive you of your liberty and property, that’s just fine.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Your posts are full of this kind of really angry stuff:
And, there are lots more examples.
Maybe I missed it upthread, but what happened to give you such a low opinion of all cops?
Is anyone who defends police a “holster-sniffer?
massrighty on July 23, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Translation from cop to English:
Don’t get on my bad side or I’ll figure out nine different ways to mess up your life.
Sound like a popular cop YouTube video?
You may think that holster sniffers like your point of view, but you’re just proving our point that many cops are arbitrary and vindictive.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Some time ago, an idiotic prank by someone and 5 or 6 policemen, guns drawn, are at my door at 7 in the morning. NYC. They say, “There is a dead body in the apartment.” “No, there isn’t,” I say. “May we take a look?” a big black police officer asks. “Sure.”
They go throughout the apartment, find no dead body, ask for my ID. “You’re reported to be dead,” says the big guy. We’re laughing. They apologize. End of story.
albertpale on July 23, 2009 at 7:30 PM
massrighty on July 23, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Good luck.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 7:31 PM
yep, no discretion at all. Oh, right, discretion is reserved for fellow LEO’s caught DUI.
rokemronnie on July 23, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Obviously you should have been beligerant with them. That way you could have gotten your book deal and 15 minutes of fame with rokemronnie.
Scrappy on July 23, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Ronnie
You’ve been asked nicely multiple times to please include the posters name and time stamp that your are partially quoting so that others may view the whole post in question.
Your refusual to extend such a simple common courtesy to a simple request that everyone else (even April & orange) follows leads one to believe that you are afraid that others may find you are just cherry picking a sentence to frame your argument.
Show some class, play by the rules, and dont be afraid to let others judge for themselves whether your responses are legit
Thanks
Son of Sam Kinison on July 23, 2009 at 7:35 PM
One more time: When Gates was arrested, did he in fact state that the door could not be secured due to a prior break in attempt? If so why did he and the cab driver have to put a shoulder into the door to open it?
It reeks of a set up particularly with CNN giving coverage to him contemporaneously.
Insofar as the officer walking him outside: 1) It simultaneously moved Gates from his immediate surroundings giving him a chance to cool off. 2) It allowed the officer to gain some control of him by requesting he step outside. People will often change their demeanor when asked to move from their location following a request. 3) It allowed a better recording of the verbal abuse Gates was putting forth. The officer stated the reverberations of Gates yelling inside the house was interfering with his ability to communicate (or record) with his comm gear. 4) It placed Gates in public with other cooberating witnesses to Gates behavior. Give the officer an A for his efforts.
However, after ascertaining the home was not secured prior to Gates arrival, the officers should have asked to performed a quick walk through of the house to ensure there were no intruders.
trollkiller on July 23, 2009 at 7:36 PM
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