# Obama says cops acted stupidly in Gates incident **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995 "2009-07-23T14:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 29
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/561 "2009-08-03T16:16:29Z")
Well, of course, they brought luggage! The Impossible Burglary Team wouldn’t miss a detail like that! Of course, why they didn’t steal all of “Skip” Gates bling-bling when the nabbed his ID, that part is a bit murky. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/562 "2009-08-03T16:55:30Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > But, he was, nonetheless, arrested. A prospect that our theoretical burglar would be at some pains to avoid, even if he could count on being defended by a wise latino. True, although he was arrested only because of the timely arrival of the ex-girlfriend and current tenant, who told the cops that he wasn’t living there any more. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/563 "2009-08-03T16:58:44Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Gates brought luggage. He just got back from China. That would be an enterprising crook who brought luggage. Bricker’s scenario is not relevant to this case. Gates showed school ID and a license. His neighbors would have attested ,if Crowley thought the old prof was really a criminal. The officer knew better. He was not arresting him for breaking and entering, nor suspicion of burglary, but a trumped up charge . It would not have stuck and they knew it. And how did the responding officer know the luggage was brought by Gates? School ID doesn’t have a home address on it. A driver’s license has a home address, to be sure, but my scenario shows that this isn’t definitive either. It’s not clear to me that his neighbors were out there to tell the police, “Yes, this is my neighbor, Professor Gates.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/564 "2009-08-03T17:00:05Z")
How tall are you? Mind if we call you “Stretch”? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/565 "2009-08-03T17:06:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And how did the responding officer know the luggage was brought by Gates? From the airport, that is. In other words, he knew that the men had suitcases, but without looking in the suitcases, how is he to know they were suitcases from a trip to China and not a convenient to load up laptops, sterling silver, and a coin collection and carry same down the street without arousing suspicion? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/566 "2009-08-03T17:09:50Z")
How is anybody to know you don’t have a bomb in your underwear? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/567 "2009-08-03T17:12:02Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > While this could certainly happen, the 911 tape confirms that Crowley knew that the home was owned by Henry Louis Gates because he was told via radio. Thus, once he saw the ID and confirmed that the man in the house was Gates, the situation was resolved vis a vis the robbery, anyway. No, he was never told by radio. Officer1, Crowley, told the dispatcher that he had a man claiming to be the resident, Henry Louis gates, and was seeking some validation that the man was a Harvard faculty member. The name “Gates” comes from Crowley, not from the dispather. Here is the transcripted 911 call: > [@](#): > > DISPATCH: 9-1-1 (inaudible) what’s the exact location of your emergency? > > CALLER: Hi, uhm, I’m actually at (inaudible) Ware Street in Cambridge in a house, number is 17 Ware Street. > > DISPATCH: Ok ma’am. Your cellphone cut out. What’s the address again? > > CALLER: Hi, uhm, it’s 17 Ware. That’s W-A-R-E. > > DISPATCH: The emergency’s at 7 Ware street? > > CALLER: No, sorry, some other woman is talking next to me. It’s 17 one-seven Ware Street. > > DISPATCH: What’s the phone number you’re calling me from? > > CALLER: I’m calling you from my cell phone number. > > DISPATCH: Ok what’s the problem? Can you tell me exactly what happened? > > CALLER: Uhm, I don’t know what’s happening. I just had a, uh, older woman standing here and she had noticed two gentlemen trying to get in a house at that number 17 Ware Street. And they kind of had to barge in and they broke the screen door and they finally got in and when I (inaudible) and looked, I went closer to the house a little bit after the gentlemen were already in the house I noticed two suitcases. So I’m not sure if these are two individuals who actually work there or maybe live ther. > > DISPATCH: You think they may have been breaking in? > > CALLER: Sir, I don’t know. Because I have no idea. I just noticed – > > DISPATCH: You think the possibility might have been there? What do you mean by barged in? Did they kick the door in? > > CALLER: No they were pushing the door in, like uhm, uhm, like the screen part of the front door was, had like cuts – > > DISPATCH: How did (inaudible) the door itself with the lock? > > CALLER: They – I didn’t see a key or anything so – I was a little bit away from the door, but I did notice that they pushed their – > > DISPATCH: What did the suitcases have to do with anything? > > CALLER: I don’t know I’m just saying that’s what I saw. DISPATCH: (inaudible) that they broke into? > > CALLER: No there’s just a first floor, I don’t even think that it’s an apartment. It’s 17 Ware Street. It’s a house. It’s just a yellow house. Number 17. I don’t know if they live there and they just had a hard time with their key but I did notice that they had to use their shoulder to try and barge in. And they got in. I don’t know if they had a key or not, because I couldn’t see from my angle. But when I looked in closely that’s what I saw. > > DISPATCH: Was it a (inaudible) or Hispanic? > > CALLER: Uhm… > > DISPATCH: Are they still in the house? > > CALLER: They’re still in the house I believe, yeah. > > DISPATCH: Were they white, black, or Hispanic? > > CALLER: Uhm, well they were two larger men. One looked kind of Hispanic but I’m not really sure. And the other one entered and I didn’t see what he looked like at all. I just saw her from a distance and this older woman was worried thinking someone’s breaking into someone’s house. They’ve been barging in and she interrupted me and that’s when I had noticed otherwise I probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all to be honest with you. So I was just calling because she was a concerned neighbor. I guess. > > DISPATCH: OK, are you standing outside? > > CALLER: I’m standing outside, yes. > > DISPATCH: Alright police are on their way you can meet them when they get there. What’s your last name? > > CALLER: Yeah, my name is (censored) > > DISPATCH: Ok they’re on their way. > > CALLER: OK. OK I guess I’ll wait. Thanks. > > CONTROL1: Control to Car 1, 18-4-0. > > OFFICER1: O-R > > CONTROL1: Respond to 17 Ware Street for a possible B-D in progress, two S-P’s barged their way into the home. They have suitcases. (inaudible) S-P. Standby. Trying to get further. > > OFFICER1: 52-0. Ware Street right now, 17? > > CONTROL1: 17 Ware Street, uhm, both S-P’s are still in the house, unknown on the race. Ah, one may be Hispanic I’m not sure. > > OFFICER1: Is there an apartment number there? > > CONTROL1: Negative on the apartment. Single family yellow house. > > OFFICER1: (inaudible) > > OFFICER1: You have the (inaudible) coming in the front door? > > CONTROL1: I’m sorry, repeat? > > OFFICER1: Do you have the caller coming to the front door? > > CONTROL1: Not her house, she doesn’t live there. She’s a witness in this. > > OFFICER2: C-13 to control, I’m on Broadway, I’m going to respond. > > CONTROL1: Received. > > OFFICER3: 52 (inaudible) > > CONTROL2: Answering 52. > > OFFICER3: A (inaudible) gentlemen says he resides here, but uncooperative. Uh, keep the cars coming. > > CONTROL2: Copy. > > OFFICER3: Can you also send the Harvard University police this way? > > CONTROL2: Ah, we can send them in. > > CONTROL1: 13 and 5-2 when you get a chance I need to talk to you. > > OFFICER3: 52 Control. > > OFFICER2: Answering. > > OFFICER(unknown): Can have a (inaudible) escape. > > OFFICER(unknown): Channel 2. > > OFFICER2: C-13’s off. > > CONTROL2: Copy. > > OFFICER1: 52’s on 2. > > CONTROL2: Answering 52. > > OFFICER1: Going to give the name of the resident, a Henry Louis Gates Jr. of the Harvard faculty. > > CONTROL2: Sir can you repeat? > > CONTROL2: Control to 52. > > CONTROL2: (inaudible) 52. > > CONTROL2: Control to 52. > > CONTROL2: Control to Car 52. > > OFFICER1: (inaudible) > > CONTROL2: 52 go back to channel 2. > > OFFICER4: One’s on. > > CONTROL2: (inaudible) Car 52. > > UNKNOWN: (inaudible) > > UNKNOWN: 18 I didn’t copy 52’s last when he got on 2. > > OFFICER(unknown): Right, standby. > > CONTROL2: Control to 1-R. > > OFFICER4: I’m off on Ware Street with 52. > > CONTROL2: I received. > > OFFICER(unknown): This is (inaudible) do we have a wagon coming to the location? > > CONTROL2: Control to wagon. > > WAGON: Wagon. > > CONTROL2: Uh 17 Ware Street. > > WAGON: Copy. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/568 "2009-08-03T17:14:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > How is anybody to know you don’t have a bomb in your underwear? That’s a foolish analogy. When I asked how the officer is to know, the context is that he’s been advised by dispatch that two males carrying suitcases have committed a possible break-and-enter. I suppose if cops receive a credible report that I have a bomb on my person, then it would become reasonable to ask the question you to cleverly pose. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/569 "2009-08-03T17:16:11Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > How tall are you? Mind if we call you “Stretch”? Is this a rebuttal of some kind? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/570 "2009-08-03T17:58:52Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > From the airport, that is. In other words, he knew that the men had suitcases, but without looking in the suitcases, how is he to know they were suitcases from a trip to China and not a convenient to load up laptops, sterling silver, and a coin collection and carry same down the street without arousing suspicion? Your responses are getting sillier every post. A couple more pages could be comedy gold. Sure burglars bring expensive luggage to robberies all the time. What didn’t I think of it. Get real. The cop figured out pretty quickly who Gates was. If the neighbors and ID did not suffice ,what else would? I suppose he should have finger printed him, got DNA and blood and then jailed him until the results were known. He could have asked Gates to open the suitcases. Although I would have been getting pretty annoyed at the cop by then. ID was good enough. Crowley claimed the police report said black men with backpacks. That was made up. He poisoned the incident thoroughly with that report. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/571 "2009-08-03T18:06:14Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > No, he was never told by radio. Officer1, Crowley, told the dispatcher that he had a man claiming to be the resident, Henry Louis gates, and was seeking some validation that the man was a Harvard faculty member. The name “Gates” comes from Crowley, not from the dispather. > > Here is the transcripted 911 call: Huh, I stand corrected. Sorry if my response muddied the waters. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/572 "2009-08-03T18:30:04Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Your responses are getting sillier every post. A couple more pages could be comedy gold. > Sure burglars bring expensive luggage to robberies all the time. What didn’t I think of it. Now it’s “expensive” luggage? Which, assuming it is, the cop knows, how, exactly? As for bringing luggage to a burglary in general – yes. It’s an obvious and often done move for burglars to bring containers in which to carry away their haul, because it’s easy to wheel a suitcase down the street and harder to carry a laptop, sterling silver set, and coin collection down the street without attracting attention. > [@](#): > > Get real. The cop figured out pretty quickly who Gates was. If the neighbors and ID did not suffice ,what else would? What neighbors? > [@](#): > > He could have asked Gates to open the suitcases. Yes, he could have. And how would Professor Gates have reacted to THAT request, in your estimation? > [@](#): > > Although I would have been getting pretty annoyed at the cop by then. ID was good enough. Although I notice you haven’t actually addressed my earlier example of how ID alone may not be good enough. > [@](#): > > Crowley claimed the police report said black men with backpacks. That was made up. He poisoned the incident thoroughly with that report. If that’s the standard, **gonzomax** , then you thoroughly poison most threads in which you participate. here, for example, you seem to be misstating the fact that prior to the arrest, a neighbor confirmed that the man detained was Gates. That didn’t happen. I assume you’ll agree that your contribution to the thread is now equally “thoroughly poisoned”, yes? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/573 "2009-08-03T19:12:29Z")
How would Gates have reacted to a cop asking him in his house to open his luggage inside his own home? I don’t know. If it would have made the pushy cop go away ,he may have done it. Would that have ended it? I doubt it. Of course the luggage was packed and probably heavy too. That would provide a clue to a sleuth. Yes the ID was good enough. Crowley just was not having it. Your example not only dismisses Gates Id, but anyones. I suppose he should have not accepted any because in some cases long ago and far away ,it has been faked. Does Gates fit the profile of a typical Id faking, home breaking in thief. There were neighbors all over the place who would have also identified him. There was plenty of evidence showing who Gates was. But if your position is that Id can be faked, why ask for it? You’re not going to accept its validity anyway. The transcript you offered says Lois Henry Gates was the resident. The ID said he was Gates. Could you draw a connection there? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/574 "2009-08-03T20:00:14Z")
Not sure what you’re about here, **Bricker**. You seem to come in to support **Rand’s** rather unpersuasive suggestion that phony ID might be involved. But you support it with an anecdote about \*entirely valid \*ID, the only question being whether the arrestee was a legal resident of the house. So, what’s your point? I’m assuming you agree with me that the notion that burglars had conterfeited Mr Gates ID as a contingency plan is beyond serious consideration? Or no? And \*\*Gonzo’\*\*s point, awkwardly put, is nonetheless worthy: if the officer can choose to ignore ID on the grounds that it might be forged, well, then, none of us has valid ID! The validity of our ID is at the mercy of the officer’s opinions and prejudices. But state issued ID is routinely accepted as valid, hundred of thousands of times per day, no? If you are going to suggest that Officer Gates had probable cause to think the ID was phony, perhaps you might provide it? Mr Gates state-isssued ID, with photo and address, constitutes _primo facist_ evidence, which must be accepted in the absence of a valid counter-argument. (My dad made me watch Perry Mason on TV, I know a lot of those fancy legalistical termsinology…) ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/575 "2009-08-03T20:10:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Mr Gates state-isssued ID, with photo and address, constitutes _primo facist_ evidence, which must be accepted in the absence of a valid counter-argument. (My dad made me watch Perry Mason on TV, I know a lot of those fancy legalistical termsinology…) You’re assuming that he showed his license. Crowley’s report says only that he provided his Harvard ID. Figueroa’s report backs up Crowley’s version of the events. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/576 "2009-08-03T20:20:24Z")
And yet, oddly, as shown in the transcript above, he is referred to as the “resident”. I take that to mean that Officer Crowley accepted the notion that he was in the presence of the legal and legitimate resident. Do you have a different interpretation to offer? Since the Harvard ID did not show an address, wouldn’t that suggest an ID with an address had been offered? And what would be the most likely? And did Figueroa say “He didn’t show state ID” or did he say “I didn’t _see_ him show state ID”? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/577 "2009-08-03T20:43:03Z")
The point you are missing luci is that it is stupid to simply say that the matter should have been over once Gates showed ID. The cops were there to do a full and complete investigation, and Gates hindered that. It doesn’t matter that it turns out that he’s the resident and nothing hinky was up. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/578 "2009-08-03T20:45:50Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > And yet, oddly, as shown in the transcript above, he is referred to as the “resident”. I take that to mean that Officer Crowley accepted the notion that he was in the presence of the legal and legitimate resident. Do you have a different interpretation to offer? Since the Harvard ID did not show an address, wouldn’t that suggest an ID with an address had been offered? And what would be the most likely? He saw the Harvard ID, gave him the benefit of the doubt for the meantime, then continued with police protocol which would be to see a stare-issued driver’s license. > [@elucidator](#): > > And did Figueroa say “He didn’t show state ID” or did he say “I didn’t _see_ him show state ID”? Aare you really saying that with all you’re posts on this that you haven’t taken the trouble to read Figueroa’s report, which is Page 3 of the police report. Yeah, I guess you are saying that. Oh well, here you go: [QUOTE=Figueroa] As I stepped in. I heard Sgt. Crowley ask for the gentleman’s information which he stated “NO I WILL NOT!”. The gentleman was shouting out to the Sgt. thet the Sgt. was racist and yelled “THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO BLACK MEN IN AMERICA!” As the Sgt. was trying to calm the gentleman, the genltman shouted “YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOU’RE MESSING WITH!” [/QUOTE] I’m not saying that Figueroa’s report _proves_ anything, just that it supports Crowley’s version. (As does the black officer who showed up afterward.) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/579 "2009-08-03T20:58:51Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > The point you are missing luci is that it is stupid to simply say that the matter should have been over once Gates showed ID. The cops were there to do a full and complete investigation, and Gates hindered that. It doesn’t matter that it turns out that he’s the resident and nothing hinky was up. Hogwash. “Full and complete investigation”, my ass! Were they going to bring in forensic teams to sweep the house for hair and fibers? They were there to check into a report and determine if anything was amiss that might justify an investigation. That might require a warrant, for instance, or might qualify as probable cause. And again, you come out with this “hindered” crapola, after it has been pointed out to you a dozen times that Gates could not have hindered much of anything. Certainly not with the dreadful threat of another “yo momma”! ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/580 "2009-08-03T21:01:03Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > The point you are missing luci is that it is stupid to simply say that the matter should have been over once Gates showed ID. The cops were there to do a full and complete investigation, and Gates hindered that. It doesn’t matter that it turns out that he’s the resident and nothing hinky was up. From the time things started to the time that they ended was _six minutes_ during a large portion of which, Crowley, the _only officer to ever enter the home_ was either talking to Gates or going back and forth with dispatch over the radio, as shown by the transcript. When was this hard-hitting investigation supposed to be happening, and with whom? All I see is a lot of people running their mouths, and one person getting arrested for it. As for all this shouting that both Crowley and apparently, Figueroa claim, here’s a thought: maybe a man with a respiratory infection was trying to make himself heard in an apparently odd-acoustic kitchen over the squawk of a police radio turned up loud. Every encounter I’ve ever had with police (all on my dime as the 911 caller) I’ve had to shout and talk around the damn police radios because they only turn them down if they want to be stealthy, not a moment before, and then they turn them right back up, and the transmissions are always filled with loud and unpredictable bursts of static and beeping and other such aural nastiness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995.md?page=30)