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<p>Yet, if we are stopped in our vehicles for anything, we still have to comply with the officer, don’t we? Even if we were driving within the speed limit, driving with caution and know that our vehicles don’t have a broken taillight, right? We have to comply, because otherwise we can be arrested - not for the offense that stopped us in the first place, but for the resistance while dealing with the officers.</p>
<p>If a police officer comes to your home in circumstances like these, they have to ascertain that everything is okay with the residents. What if there were a home invasion in progress? </p>
<p>Gates may have felt personally disrespected, but his behavior escalated this situation by resisting giving identification, initially, and then not in stepping outside to discuss this with the officer. If it had been a home invasion or hostage situation, this could have saved Gates’ life. In fact acting in such a way could have been a signal to the police that something was amiss, inside the home. </p>
<p>Is there a history of racism in the community? I hear that this has been a problem in the past. Reading the report, it seems like the officer handled this one by the book. </p>
<p>Hopefully, when they release the tapes, we will get a better understanding of what was said by both the officer and the professor.</p>