Second guessing the police

BOSTON (AP) - Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the police sergeant who arrested him last July after a confrontation outside his home both missed opportunities to "ratchet down" the situation and end things more calmly, according to a review of the case released Wednesday.
The independent review said "misunderstandings and failed communications" and a "certain degree of fear" each man had for the other led to the six-minute dispute that ended with the renowned black scholar being arrested by the veteran white Cambridge police sergeant.

Sgt. James Crowley arrested Gates for disorderly conduct at his Cambridge home July 16 while investigating a possible burglary. Gates alleged he was a victim of racial profiling. Charges were later dropped.

The conflict sparked a national debate on race relations, and President Barack Obama invited both men to the White House for a "beer summit."

The situation at Gates' home quickly escalated when it shouldn't have, according to the review put together by a 12-member panel assembled in September. No one on the panel had direct ties to the Cambridge Police Department.

The report suggests that Crowley could have more clearly explained what he was doing and why he was doing it, especially after being shown Gates' license and university ID. For his part, Gates could have used a more respectful tone to address the officer.

Neither man, in interviews with the panel, said he would have acted differently.

The incident was a "textbook example of how a police officer and a member of the community can clash if they do not share a sense of responsibility," according to the report.

The panel made 10 recommendations for avoiding similar incidents in the future, including better training for police in de-escalating conflicts, as well as more outreach to the public and academic community to teach understanding of the police department's job.

Commissioner Robert Haas and review panel Chairman Chuck Wexler have scheduled a Wednesday news conference to discuss the report's conclusions and recommendations.

Gates turned down a request to comment on the report when contacted via e-mail, deferring comments to his lawyer and fellow Harvard professor Charles Ogletree. Ogletree did not immediately return a phone call to his office Wednesday morning or respond to an e-mail.

A message left Wednesday for Crowley at the Cambridge Police Department was not immediately returned.

What a steaming crock of shit.

The article places primary blame on the police here. Big surprise in this day and age when any authority figure is guilty until proven innocent.

The public owes their cooperation to the police in the performance of their duties. End of story. Whenever a cop puts the uniform on he/she might as well be placing a bulls eye on their backs. It's become that kind of world. The general public, no matter if they're white, black or striped like a zebra, need to remember that one. Being a cop isn't on the same level as workfare, it's a damned difficult and nasty job done to protect law abiding citizens.

FWIW, I've run into abusive cops and ones who think their badge elevates them above the status of mere mortals. They're assholes. But they're also the exception to the rule.

Wonder if I could get a free copy of the report cited in the article, we're low on toilet paper here.