I've seen enough episodes of "Adam-12" to know that it isn't the job of the police officer to decide whether Gates' disturbing the peace was trial-worthy or not (as was suggested by a woman on O'Reilly with Huck the other night). The job of the police officer is to maintain the peace, which is why they arrested Gates when he was belligerent and exacerbating the situation. It's not their job to decide whether the charges would stick or not, it's only their job to maintain the peace.
The woman on FNC who was interviewed by Huckabee makes her living defending against police officers, she said that Crowley shouldn't have arrested Gates because the charges would not be sustained, and that he was a bad cop who was a detriment to the Cambridge police force. She was clearly going over-the-top, and she and Huckabee both new it, and tacitly agreed that it was her job to be over-the-top in that segment.
-PJ
Have not seen all segments/interviews; but what I have seen; there has been no mention that this was not first 'break-in' call received for this address. At bottom of police report Croweley mentions that Gates offers - as he departs; to the effect that door does not close properly because of a prior break in.
Find this amazing; as it clearly indicates how much more 'over the top' Gates response was on what was not a 'first occasion' for confusion at his home.
Or perhaps; Gates was just adding noxious oil to an already blazing flame and/or was writing his next book out loud?