The general public don't realize that any call, "routine" or not, give suspicion to cops. Any call can turn deadly. Cops have died at the hands of pulled over motorists; officers have died at domestic disturbances, yes, even at the hands of the home's owner. Examples?
Sunday night, three officers responding to a domestic disturbance were talking to one of the residents when another began to shoot at the officers for no reason.
Three officers were hit. Only two survived.
Click here for the whole story.
Sgt. David Kinterknecht died answering a "routine" call. How was Sgt. Crowley to know that Gates wasn't armed? Or that his yelling wouldn't inspire a roomate to do the same? The police don't know, so when someone won't calm down, they are arrested to immediately diffuse a situation.
This weekend was bad for cops responding to routine calls:
In New York, NYPD Officer Rodney Lewis was shot responding to a domestic disturbance.
In Oklahoma, two sheriff's deputies were killed trying to serve an arrest warrant at a suspect's home.
All of you who judge Sgt. Crowley for diffusing a situation with an irate homeowner: You never know who is armed and may shoot the police for no reason at all, even from their own residence.
I say Jamás to Hamas!
11 months ago
16 comments:
Yeah, but let's overlook the danger and worry about political correctness for a moment. We all know that the police are there to make sure your feelings aren't hurt.
They should overlook danger and procedure because that could be construed as racial profiling.
That seems to be what everyone is forgetting. They keep saying that Crowley should have walked away, or let Gates continue to scream and cause a scene. But that isn't the police force's job. They aren't supposed to be personal counselors.
If people don't like the way police act, take it up with legislatures. But everyone is turning this into race where it isn't a racial issue, and that is not right.
You're right, James. It's NOT race on Crowley's side. However, it may be on Gates' side. Crowley HAD to ask Gates outside to ensure that he wasn't being coerced by someone with a gun somewhere else in the house. That's standard procedure, according to my brother, who is a cop. Once outside the cop can then determine that the person is responding of their own free will. And you're right about situations escalating. I think this entire situation has been blown way out of proportion. Obama should've kept his mouth shut, Gates should've been more respectful and maybe even Crowley could've walked away. But who knows, maybe he had other calls that day that were bad and he had enough. Also, we don't know everything Gates was saying, the look in his eyes, or his stance. I would like to think I would've just walked away with a "good day" but who knows; maybe I would've slapped the cuffs on him, too. I KNOW I would've been extremely respectful to an officer had they been called to my house and I was breaking into it! I would've been apologizing all over the place and telling him I'm so blonde!
James, send me an email I want to tell you something. U can delete this then.
Email sent.
Wow. So you're saying that because of what the cops didn't know they had every right to assume the worst could happen? What ever happened to the public relying on the police to use discretion that is based on wisdom, experience and training?
We have an uncomfortable choice with Sergeant Crowley. Either he didn't know what disorderly conduct is or he decided to show Gates who's boss the only way he knew how — by whipping out his handcuffs and abusing his power to arrest. Police make the latter choice in this country every day, knowing the charges are going to have to be dropped.
Sometimes that must be done, Orgen. People need to realize that Police are in authority. They need to calm down, stop screaming, and if an abuse is found, report it.
But getting in his face is not the answer. Like I've said before, arrest isn't a punishment, it's a "keeping the peace" thing...this issue is quite divided, even among the nation's police force.
Maybe certain police procedures need to be updated. That's fine. But it had nothing to do with race, and injecting race where it isn't present shows immaturity and racism on the part of Gates.
And yes, Orgen, when cops don't know, they need to assume the worst in order to survive. Like I said, this weekend alone three officers were killed responding to "routine" calls. Cops need to be very wary of anyone, especially someone irate and screaming at them for no apparent reason.
You don't know what kind of day the cop has had. You can always file a complaint later if you feel you've been mistreated. Ego isn't worth being handcuffed and carted downtown or worse.
What gets me is now hatred of cops is becoming okay in our culture. Back when cops were actually corrupt on wide scales, it wasn't okay. Now that police have mostly got it together, cop hating and killing is becoming acceptable.
I'm writing a post on this right now.
TRUTH 101 said...
You don't know what kind of day the cop has had. You can always file a complaint later if you feel you've been mistreated. Ego isn't worth being handcuffed and carted downtown or worse.
That is just freaken nonsense! The police office was doing his job and doing it correctly! Why do you ALWAYS have to side with the Black guy just because he's black?
He wasn't, American that Cares.
He was saying that you should treat an officer with respect, always, and if you don't like the way they do something, file a complaint later, NOT in the face of the cop.
Orgen: "by whipping out his handcuffs and abusing his power to arrest. Police make the latter choice in this country every day, knowing the charges are going to have to be dropped."
That was a proper use of power to arrest. To stop a raging idiot in a safe fashion. In past decades, a guy going nuts like that might have been shot. Now there are humane ways to take care of the problem.
I think we can call this arrest inappropriate .
Gray, can you tell me why you believe that?
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