Cambridge Police Union President Stephen Killion "Disgraced" That Obama "Is Our Commander-In-Chief"

The president of the Cambridge Police Patrol Officer's Association says that President Obama's statement that officers "acted stupidly" when they arrested black scholar Henry Louis Gates was "disgraceful."

Stephen Killion told the Huffington Post that he was shocked when he heard the president make the remarks during Wednesday night's press conference.

"That was totally inappropriate. I am disgraced that he is our commander-in-chief. He smeared the good reputation of the hard-working men and women of the Cambridge Police Department. It was wrong to do. It was disgraceful."

Killion, whose union does not represent officer Sgt. James Crowley, says that Crowley is "a good sergeant." He added that Obama's comments today, in which the president said that cooler heads should have prevailed, were "back-pedaling, not a clarification."

Killion also claimed that audiotapes, now in the possession of the city solicitor's office, will show that Harvard Professor Gates "turned this non-incident into a racial incident." He said the audiotapes will prove Crowley's account of the incident and show that Gates "was provoking the incident. He wanted to prove who he was... He deems himself higher than everyone else around."

On the tapes, Killian claims, "you can clearly hear him berating the officer, creating a scene."

Gates says he was "outraged" by the arrest. The AP reports:

He said the white officer walked into his home without his permission and only arrested him as the professor followed him to the porch, repeatedly demanding the sergeant's name and badge number because he was unhappy over his treatment.

"This isn't about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates said.

Crowley was critical of the president but did not go as far as Killion in his response.

"I support the president of the United States 110 percent. I think he was way off base wading into a local issue without knowing all the facts as he himself stated before he made that comment," Crowley told WBZ-AM. "I guess a friend of mine would support my position, too."

The lawyer for Crowley's union, Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association, predicted that Obama would regret the comments. "I suspect that when the full picture comes out, he will regret the remarks he made," Alan J. McDonald told the Boston Globe.

Comments

[BARBMOM]

We cannot undermine the authority of the Police - it will get you in trouble ALL the time, and just because the president is a friend of yours , especially, does not mean you can run your mouth at the police - as I am sure he was.

[a567and8]

Smart-mouthing a police officer, if that is what Gates did, is not wise, but it's not illegal either. Nothing was at stake in that, alleged, verbal assault. The immediacy of the dismissal of the charge proves that. Crowley's behaviour was designed to teach Gates a lesson; cops rule. That, more than the racial overtones, is what's so worrying here. Anytime the cops feel like doing something to you, they'll do it. Also, Crowley, evidently, falsified the statement of the next door neighbor and incorporated a racial element into it. That tells us something, doesn't it? Tired of this, tired of this, tired of this!

[themodernleader]

Gretel1or2 et al. As events have unfolded, the President, unless he is a fool, realizies that he stepped into a rattle snake's nest by expressing his personal opinion on a dispute of local interest or import. Addressing such extraneous matters will so overload his time that he will be unequipped to deal with the crises arising that will try men's souls.
Obama appears to be unaware of the principle of chain of command and delegation of rignt and duty in equal quantities among other repertoires of modern leadership.

[houstonobserver]

I am sure that I am not the only one who finds it extremely hypocritical when the local police are not able to handle a case of extremely bad PR on their own, and have the gall to then call their Commander-­in-Chief's comments on the matter as insulting. Officer Crowley isn't the only one acting stupidly here, and I am quite sure that - hypothetically, of course, (right!) - if the skin colors were juuust a little different, that the someone might just be a little more afraid about their job security.

Speaking as a person who had been in uniform, if even my immediate superior officer said I was acting stupidly, the reaction would be "Yes Sir! Absolutely, Sir!", much less my Commander-in-Chief.

Of course, there couldn't be any disgrace to the troops when a certain former Alaskan Governor caused someone's job to go missing just because he stood up for his subordinates. I wonder what Mr Killion would have done in that situation, if he were representing those Alaskan officers.

[ConservativeCarl]

The police did their jobs, it was gates who started the whole race issue, and being a good black man with some authority Obama came running to defend the professor of bigotry before even knowing the facts.

"What a white cop did what" definitely a race issue, well Obama stuck his foot in his mouth big time.

[anthony baker]

It seems that the inappropriate actions of the Cambridge police department have been lost. The matter should have been settled once it was determined that he was the homeowner. President Obama's comments do not change that fact. The question should be why did the police remain once they knew that the professor was the homeowner not a burglar.

[VTya]

President Obama called the action of that particular officer in that particular case "stupidity". He did act stupidly. The President does not owe an apology to every police in the USA for what he said about the actions of one officer.
White police are more often than not Republican supporters. I suspect the right-wing lunatics are using this situation to fan the flames of racism. They are licking their lips because Gates is a personal friend of the President.
The officer who was called to Gates home should have left once he identified that he was the owner of the house. Instead he chose to humiliate him. I suspect he, like a lot of white police who confront well-to-do black men got upset that a black man is living in a house that he cannot afford. The same is true when white officers, without cause, pull over black folks who drive nice cars.

[JenniferWest]

Obama has obviously been hanging around with Biden too much! He should have kept his mouth shut. He was baited into answering this question! And as a result it took us off the much more important topic health care. I am so sick of the media covering these non stories!!!

[MominAmerica]

There's a BIG difference in calling somone stupid and in saying "someone acted stupidly". In my opinion, they both acted stupidly here. The cop: aren't you trained to compose yourself a little better in these situations? Obama: yes, he "should have" known facts before commenting. HOWEVER, I completely agree with his comment and it's ok to make a "stupid mistake" sometimes. Nobody is stupid in this situation but those that want to make mountains out of molehills; the same ones looking FOR ANYTHING negative to say about Obama! Same ones; same song; different verse!

[AntiSheep13]

I am Pro Obama...In light of how the repubz couldn't admit any wrong doing during the last administration; I want to help end that nonsense by being a big enough person to admit that Pres. Obama is wrong when he is. In this case he made an extremely stupid mistake just like when he made that comment about people who are retarded. So many of you despised how the repubz acted during the last admin, so why do so many of you that are on the other side of the political spectrum, engage in the same tactics. End the gang mentality now!!!

[americanalien]

Republicans were hoping that this would be a big scandal for the President, but they are the ones left with eggs on their faces. The President has managed to reconcile both Mr. Gates and the cop by inviting them to have a beer with him at the White House. He has cleverly turned this controversy into an opportunity to have a discussion on the lingering problem of racial profiling in America. Republicans are left empty handed once more. Nothing they try against our President seem to work. This must be eating them from the inside.

[bobwalters]

The cop was out of line. Whether his underlying motivation was racial profiling or merely an authoritarian bellicosity, I don't know, but suspect it may have been some combination thereof. There are many good, helpful and personable cops, thank goodness...but there are also all too many cops who over-react like this one, and, disregarding all reason and all personal rights of a "subject," go absolutely ballistic if said "subject" fails to show "proper deference" to the cop's "authority." That Prof. Gates happened to be African-American simply compounded the cop's anger, even though Gates had every right to be angry and to say whatever he wanted to say. He was, after all, in his own home, and had already provided the cop with sufficient and proper ID. The cop's refusal to give his name and badge number when asked, as required by law, and enticing Prof. Gates outside the threshold of his home so he could then arrest him on the bogus charge of "disorderly conduct" is what is disgraceful. Clearly a 'set-up.'

[AntiSheep13]

Wouldn't you THANK an officer who responded to a possible break in at your home to make sure that you and your home is safe? Well instead of being grateful, Gates expressed discrimination based on race and a uniform. That is what turned this situation from a routine investigation to an immature act of abuse which impeded the job of the officer. Stop ignoring the reality of this situation.

[VTya]

The racist neighbor who called the cops on her black neighbor should be charged with wasting police time. (How many years has Prof. Gates lived in that house on that street? She didn't know who he was?) Shame on our country that in the year 2009 some of us are still behaving as if it's 1809.

[Principaldad]

The job of the officer was over. After that job was over, the officer asked Gates to come outside.

Do you think it is right for a person to go to jail for (allegedly) yelling at a police officer AFTER the investigation was over?

If you said yes, do you think it would be ok for someone at one of the "tax day tea parties" to be arrested if they were to balk at showing their ID to an FBI agent?

That is too much power for one person to have. That is why the US Supreme Court ruled in 1974 that such speech is protected by the 1st Amendment. This is true even if it is abusive speech that is "conveying or intended to convey disgrace".

The reality of this situation is that, even if you take Crowley's story as gospeI, he still abused his authority. It is not illegal to yell at the police.

[MsMEG]

With respect to the Professor Gates incident, the Cambridge Police should stop pointing fingers at Professor Gates and the President. This incident is NOT about the President, it is about the behavior and actions of the Cambridge Police. The arrest of Professor Gates is an outrageous injustice and the Cambridge Police need to be accountable. This type of policing is unacceptable.

[AntiSheep13]

Can you provide some facts that backs your claim up? How about quoting the police report and/or the 911 call?

[Principaldad]

part 1

So you will only accept the “official police version” of events as facts? Ok.

The police report states that after Crowley had verified Gates' identity and transmitted those findings to dispatch he "prepared to leave". That is Crowley's duty at that point, to leave. Instead Crowley states:

"I told Gates that I was leaving his residence and that if he had any other questions regarding the matter, I would speak with him outside the residence." - This is the wrong thing to do as the investigation is over. Crowley then states:

"As I began walking through the foyer toward the front door, I could hear Gates again demanding my name. I again told Gates that I would speak to him outside" - Crowley is ignoring a lawful request for his information. Mass. law requires Crowley to provide an ID card in this situation, something he never did. Crowley claims at one point that he gave his information twice, but from the rest of the report that is a complete Iie. Crowley gave part of his name (with no ID) at the beginning and claims he "began" to give his name one other time. He claims that Gates was yelling at that time, but yelling does not prevent showing a card.

Crowley claims he wanted to go outside because "acoustics" and "yelling" were making radio transmission difficult. This is a clear Iie because by Crowley's own report, the investigation was over and all information had been transmitted.

[Principaldad]

part 2

The real reason for asking Gates outside is shown next. Crowley claims that as soon as he got outside, he warned Gates that he was "becoming disorderly". Crowley is still refusing the lawful request to give his ID. Crowley proceeds to quickly warn and then arrest Gates.

This is abuse of power and entrapment. Gates' speech is protected by the 1st Amendment. Arresting anyone for protected speech is a violation of their civil rights and clear abuse of power. Also, Crowley obviously asked Gates outside so that he could claim "disorderly conduct". That is entrapment. In addition, Crowley clearly states refused to provide the proper identification required by state law.

All of this is based on Crowley's own version of events in the police report. In reality, Crowley likely got upset at what Gates was saying (which Crowley may have embellished after the fact). Crowley then chose to abuse his authority and "teach Gates a lesson".

Whether Gates’ said the things that are alleged is irrelevant. Crowley abused his authority in the worst way. He does not deserve to wear a badge.

[JLRoberson]

One president stupidly allows, and causes, the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Americans. You support him.

The other makes an obvious comment about an obvious thing and you're "disgraced."

It's really driving y'all completely insane that the president is black, isn't it?

[FrankenPC]

That's pretty much it.

[indywoman]

Well, I guess Stephen Killion thinks that his department is beyond criticism. Apparently, they arrest people all the time and then drop the charges. That seems fair. Just because their job is hard doesn't mean they always get it right.

Its also quite common that people who teach don't always follow their own advise (do as I say, not as I do). Officer Crowley supposedly taught other officers not to racially profile. Apparently, he is not perfect himself.

[Barbara2423]

Stephen Killion is a disgraced police officer. He should teach his officers not to escalate situtations that could be possible be dangerous.

[Suzanne Wolling]

I am ashamed that the police captain is a white person. Get a grip and back to your job as an office worker.

[AntiSheep13]

Huh?