Obama-"Cambridge Police acted stupid"

[btfp]

What should have happened:
Gates should have shown his id. Spoken calmly, explaining that he was on a long return trip and was very tired.
Sgt. Crowley would have then verified this and been on his way out the door, clearing the job as a resident/occupant forgot their keys.
Gates should have then thanked the officer for looking out for his property and invited them back for a snack later. He might then have learned of the Sgt.'s accomplishments and offered to have him lecture at one of his classes.
What did happen:
Acting stupid- Sgt Crowley? I don't think so. Professor Gates? without a doubt. President Obama, after that remark, yes.
The Sgt has nothing to apologize for.

[Retired96]

When I saw Gates on the news talking about this incident my first thought was I bet that clown went to Reverend Wrights church along with Obama.
Its sad that he is able to teach our college students, as I'm sure he spews his racist ideas.

[winq]

My 2cents (for whatever there worth), this guy Gates is an elitist liberal, from the same mold as Pres Obama, smug and of course, much smarter (and better) than any civil servant cop. So, when he was challenged by the civil servant, in his own home, he can say and do all that he wishes to sgt Crowley. I'm sure any tone Sgt Crowley took with Gates was not going to satisfy him in any way. He knows better. Now the Dis Con arrest was made after Gates left his house and continued his ranting and yelling where the general public can be effected. Public order must be concidered. Pres. Obama steps into the fray. Because even not knowing the fact, which he admitted, he knows better. and of course the police are wrong. Now my take is that Pres Obama does not like law enforcement, and will side with his friend before knowing any facts. Because Gates is a smart intellect and above any civil servant.
The current back peddling by the Pres. is only for political purposes.

Color or race had no issue in this at all. It's the i'm better than you mentality taken by Gates.

Also, PtlCop is allowed his opinion, even though i don't agree with it.

nuff said.

[Bearcat357]

Wow, mature.

Left leaning? Not quite. I've voted Democrat one time in my entire adult life. I'm as republican as the next guy.

Again, since it seems to take about 967 times for you to actually comprehend, I THINK THE SGT WAS PROBABLY MORE ACCURATE IN HIS ACCOUNT THAN GATES WAS IN HIS. How hard is that to understand. I'm not going to sit here and say that the Sgt. was 100% right, BECAUSE I WAS NOT THERE.

Ok...whatever.....

Once again, toss me a PM so I can stay clear the hell away from where you work....and make sure others do the same....I'd hate to have you as my backup....questioning my every move.....

[PtlCop]

Ok...whatever.....

Once again, toss me a PM so I can stay clear the hell away from where you work....and make sure others do the same....I'd hate to have you as my backup....questioning my every move.....

Not quite.

If you're a new officer to our agency, as in every other agency, you'll have to prove yourself. If I know your character and know how you work, there's no reason to question your every move. There are officers I work with who I don't enjoy backing up, because they always seem to wind up in a questionable situation, doesn't mean I don't back them up though.

I don't trust people SIMPLY because they are one thing, or do one thing, or have one job. I don't trust teachers just because they're teachers. I don't trust doctors just because they're doctors, I don't trust cops just because they're cops. Trust is earned, not just given because I wear a badge and gun too. That's my opinion, you're free to yours just as I am to mine.

[towncop]

A. PtlCop....I don't do CNN. I watched them this afternoon and they were very, very Anti-LEO.....and were no where near what the rest of the media was reporting....including the local media that had witneses from the scene that supported the SGT and the Patrolman that responded to the scene.....so...whatever they mouth off... I don't give two craps....nor will I take what they say at face value....

B. PtlCop....Toss me a PM and tell me where you work....so I stay clear the F away from you.....Good Freaking God.... Nothing like a left leaning Cop that doesn't stick up for a Brother when all the evidence points to the LEO being right......

He was ordered to go through remedial criminal law training as a result of the investigation, he refused and said "if you try to fire me I'll own this place." He got fired, he does not own the place.

He was a marginal officer anyway, his replacement is quite good.

Bearcat, it seems that my fellow Hoosier cop, PtlCop, works for one of our finer central Indiana agencies that wants their officers to look good on the street, instead of making the good arrests.

He said in an earlier post that a guy on his department got fired for making a similar disorderly conduct arrest, which in Indiana is perfectly legal, got sued, and lost. Which I'm sure he lost because of lack of department support. Sounds quite clear that this department doesn't like their officers to push the envelope!

[Bearcat357]

Bearcat, it seems that my fellow Hoosier cop, PtlCop, works for one of our finer central Indiana agencies that wants their officers to look good on the street, instead of making the good arrests.

He said in an earlier post that a guy on his department got fired for making a similar disorderly conduct arrest, which in Indiana is perfectly legal, got sued, and lost. Which I'm sure he lost because of lack of department support. Sounds quite clear that this department doesn't like their officers to push the envelope!

Wow.....glad I've never worked for an agency like that.....

Wonder how he (PtlCop) will be when/if he ever goes to a new agency......and actually sees Dept. and fellow Officers supporting each other and making good arrests....?

[tick]

Did any of us actually expect a an appology? It's politics, don't appologize, "clarify".

[PtlCop]

Wow.....glad I've never worked for an agency like that.....

Wonder how he (PtlCop) will be when/if he ever goes to a new agency......and actually sees Dept. and fellow Officers supporting each other and making good arrests....?

Dude, get off your high horse. I came from an agency with over 700 officers and currently work for one with about 150. towncop is flat our wrong about the agency, and area that I work in. My agency stands behind our officers, up until the point they make stupid, conscious, decisions to violate the law or make egregious violations of policy. At which point, when they've tarnished the badge, they SHOULDN'T be stood behind. I get the feeling that you stand behind your co-workers, even as they violate laws in front of your very face.

[PtlCop]

Bearcat, it seems that my fellow Hoosier cop, PtlCop, works for one of our finer central Indiana agencies that wants their officers to look good on the street, instead of making the good arrests.

He said in an earlier post that a guy on his department got fired for making a similar disorderly conduct arrest, which in Indiana is perfectly legal, got sued, and lost. Which I'm sure he lost because of lack of department support. Sounds quite clear that this department doesn't like their officers to push the envelope!

No, actually I don't, you've got no idea what you're talking about here, which is shocking because i've found you to be quite reasonable most of the time.

I'm sorry, but a Disorderly Conduct arrest in person's own home (as it was when our guy made it) that causes no other people to take notice of the action (as it was when our guy made it) isn't a good arrest. The officer got all ****y, arrested a man who didn't need to be arrested because the officer got all upset that he wasn't getting the respect that he thought he deserved. Tell me why the department should stand behind that officer. He made a conscious decision to arrest a person, when absolutely nothing he did fit the statute that he was arrested for. The department cut him loose, too late because not one, but THREE judges upheld the lawsuit ruling. But yea....lets support ALL of our officers, even as the bad apples do things like that.

So no, it had nothing to do with what my agency wants its officers to look like, or how vigilantly they stand behind the rest of the rank and file who go out and do our jobs within the scope of the law. It had everything to do with an officer acting outside the boundaries of what is legal.

[Bearcat357]

Dude, get off your high horse.

Perhaps you need to get off yours..... Had you read all the facts conerning this case, you'd see that Gates is race baiting and it was a proper arrest...... The DA choked and opted not to go any further with it....happens all the time...even when it is a good arrest.....perhaps you haven't had any like that....but most Vets have....

I get the feeling that you stand behind your co-workers, even as they violate laws in front of your very face.

Sorry skippy....I've helped bust co-workers before....for such things as DUI, theft, and selling/smoking dope... Did I want to...? Of course not....but it had to be done.....

I keep getting the feeling you are some young rookie that have no clue about life....but thats just me......

[PtlCop]

Perhaps you need to get off yours..... Had you read all the facts conerning this case, you'd see that Gates is race baiting and it was a proper arrest...... The DA choked and opted not to go any further with it....happens all the time...even when it is a good arrest.....perhaps you haven't had any like that....but most Vets have....




Sorry skippy....I've helped bust co-workers before....for such things as DUI, theft, and selling/smoking dope... Did I want to...? Of course not....but it had to be done.....

I keep getting the feeling you are some young rookie that have no clue about life....but thats just me......

I have actually had several where the Prosecutor choked and opted not to pursue a charge that could go either way. I guess that's what you get when they've got to worry about stats to get re-elected. I read the stories, it does sound as if Gates baited him, I would expect professional police officers to not take the bait though.

And no, been doing this for going on 16 years now, I've long passed the point where this mythical "code of silence" dictates my career. I've seen young guys fired for covering for their co-workers stupid mistakes or withholding information, or misrepresenting facts in IA investigations because they feel like cops shouldn't rat on other cops. I agree in principal. I've been called into investigations before, as i'm sure you have, and have provided information that has resulted in friends being fired, it sucks...bad. When I'm pulled into those situations, I answer truthfully and if I don't know, I don't speculate.

Sometimes I get heated in my debating, because, like everyone else here, i'm a Type A personality. From now on i'm working on sticking to the topic at hand, and not on the posters. I apologize for not doing so the whole time.

[towncop]

No, actually I don't, you've got no idea what you're talking about here, which is shocking because i've found you to be quite reasonable most of the time.

Agreed

[BrickCop]

Agreed

lol....

[PtlCop]

Agreed

That was pretty good.