If you read the Sgt.’s report, it’s very clear the Sgt. invited Gates to continue his tirade outside, then arrested Gates for taking up his invitation: “I told Gates I was leaving his residence and if he had any other questions I would speak with him outside”. This is an invitation to Gates to continue the exchange outside. Why would the Sgt. invite Gates outside, knowing his agitated state, where Gate’s behavior would be a disturbance?
I know officers generally deserve respect, consideration and thanks, but they can’t go around arresting people who insult them when officers intrude unnecessarily into their homes. And yes, also according to the Sgt.’s report, the Sgt. knew before the exchanged moved outside the home that the Sgt. was intruding unneccessarily: “…With Harvard University ID in hand, I radioed my findings to ECC and prepared to leave…”
I have to admit that agree with Obama (which is gross) that Gates probably shouldn’t have been arrested considering the context. There was no break in, Gates wasn’t dangerous, he wasn’t even drunk, the police were the intruders in this instance (which Crowley knew before he elected to continue the exhange outside), the Sgt. invited Gates to continue the exchange outside the house in view of the public, etc.
I think this is a case of “contempt of cop” not disturbing the peace.
