Cambridge police commissioner defends officer in Gates arrest

Boston Globe ^ | July 23, 2009 | By Martin Finucane

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The Cambridge police commissioner today defended the actions of the sergeant who arrested prominent black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. last week at his home, saying he believed the sergeant acted "consistent with his training" and without racial bias.

"I don't believe that Sergeant [James M.] Crowley acted with any racial motivation at all," said Commissioner Robert Haas.

Haas also revealed, in response to reporters' questions at the news conference, that Gates's house had been broken into before the incident. He did not specify exactly when the break-in had taken place.

Asked about Obama's comment, Cambridge police commissioner Robert Haas said that "this department is deeply pained."

"It deeply hurts the pride of this agency," he told a news conference this afternoon at city police headquarters.

"Sergeant Crowley followed proper protocol and procedures in making the arrest," said Haas, describing Crowley as a "stellar member of this department. I rely on his judgment every day."

[Salvey]

This race thing is getting really tiresome.

[samadams2000]

Race Peddler in Chief.

[abb]

Like our old friend from the Duke Lacrosse Frame - former AD Joe Alleva - said over three years ago when he fired Coach Mike Pressler, “It’s not about the truth.”

To Obama, the truth is not important. It’s about the metanarrative.

[pogo101]

The President “acted stupidly” in saying such about a dispute where he admits he doesn’t know the facts AND has a bias.

[BradyLS]

In my opinion, that crapola IS OVER!

[Batman11]

Uhbama may be the first partially black POTUS, but he is doing everything he can to make sure he is the last! What a maroon!

[NMEwithin]

Just saw Barry on Fox News with a big smirk on his face claiming he is "suprised" by the controversy his comments have created.

Note to Barry: psssst...you are the POTUS...what you say kinda matters.

[Gator113]

I couldn’t be more pleased with Cambridge police commissioner Robert Haas for standing in support of his SGT.

All too often a Chief will take the politically safe route, I respect this man.

[vox_freedom]

This is turning out to be the best thing about Obama's press conference. Way to go zero!

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Good Lord, please tell me this is not what the Office of the President has been reduced to...

[VeniVidiVici]

The Globe is determined to make it mushroom out of control.

[ml/nj]

If everything the policeman did was so proper, and Gates is so obviously guilty, why were the charges against him dropped? This whole thing is disgusting. Besides it being his right, racist or not, to be secure in his home, he also has a right to be confronted by his accusers in the settings prescribed by law. This police chief is an agent of the State. They had their chance to make their case against Gates in a lawful manner and they punted. Now they choose to slander him. Same for the cop. He should shut up. Racists have rights too.

ML/NJ

[RobRoy]

>>In my opinion, that crapola IS OVER!<<

For Obama this one is just beginning. Rush, et-al will have a field day with this, especially in light of this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_re_us/us_harvard_scholar_disorderly_58

Obama will look like (is already actually) an aristocratic moron.

This:
“The white police sergeant criticized by President Barack Obama for arresting black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his Massachusetts home is a police academy expert on understanding racial profiling.

Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley has taught a class about racial profiling for five years at the Lowell Police Academy after being hand-picked for the job by former police Commissioner Ronny Watson, who is black, said Academy Director Thomas Fleming.”

Obama will be hung out to dry for his remarks on this one.

[RobRoy]

Zero is learning the hard way why every other word out of a presidnt’s mouth is “uh”.

[mrmeyer]

“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs-partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”

- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915.)
http://www.historycooperative.org/btw/Vol.1/html/430.html

[Boardwalk]

The question definitely a set up. 0bama knew it was coming! Lynn Sweet, Chicago reporter is an 0bama stooge. She read the question!

Interesting though the devil is in the details and it may just backfire on 0bama.

[PeterPrinciple]

why were the charges against him dropped?

---

That is a good question and deserves an answer. My thoughts are that a police have can make an arrest but that charges are decided by the judicial system. I suspect the weak knees occurred in the judicial system.

[roses of sharon]

http://audio.weei.com/m/25432556/sgt-james-crowley-cambridge-police.htm

Great interview....Sgt James Crowley.

[RobRoy]

Sorry. I’m just not seeing any of what you are inferring from the facts of this case as they are reported. The more information we have, the worse Gates looks in this.

fronYahoo, a snippet:

The white police sergeant criticized by President Barack Obama for arresting black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his Massachusetts home is a police academy expert on understanding racial profiling.

Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley has taught a class about racial profiling for five years at the Lowell Police Academy after being hand-picked for the job by former police Commissioner Ronny Watson, who is black, said Academy Director Thomas Fleming.