Professor Gates, a black man, was arrested by Sgt. James Crowley, a white man, and charged with contempt of an officer. Whalen had witnessed Gates and his driver forcing open a door into his own house, in Cambridge Square, Mass. A confrontation arose between Crowley and Gates resulting in the contempt charge, which was later dropped.
News that a black Harvard professor was arrested by a white police officer for breaking into his own house quickly spread through mainstream and social media. Americans everywhere reacted including President Barack Obama, who, during a primetime press conference on July 22, 2009, stated “anyone would be angry” and that “the Cambridge police acted stupidly.”
This incident sparked a public dialogue leaving a thread of mixed feelings amongst many Americans, with most wondering how to make a 911 call without being labeled as racist. It became clear when the call transcript was released that Whalen never stated that neither Gates nor his driver was black. But what if she had? Why would that be racist, considering Gates is black?
Calling 911
An effective 911 call must be as descriptive as possible and an individual’s biological features such as race, gender and age are valuable descriptions during an emergency call. Anyone calling 911 should be prepared to answer the dispatcher’s questions, which may be repeated during the call.
For example, the dispatcher in Gates case asked the following questions:
“…black or Hispanic? Are they still in the house?”
“They’re still in the house I believe,” Whalen responded. The dispatched repeated the question, “are they white, black or Hispanic?”
“....there were two larger men, one looked kind of Hispanic, but I’m not really sure. And the other entered and I didn’t see what he looked liked at all,” she said.
Describing Emergency Incidents
The Gates case may have sparked a public dialogue, but it did not and should not change how an effective 911 call should be made.
It is important to remember the following when making an emergency call:
- Briefly and calmly describe the incident and the location; this may include vehicles, buildings or landmarks.
- Describe individuals involved in the incident by including their race, approximate age, gender and any visibly distinguishable features.
- Follow the dispatcher’s instructions, this is usually for the caller’s safety and to assist police officers or emergency personnel in finding the location of the incident and identifying the suspects or victims.
- Dispatchers type as much details about the incident as possible during the call so it is important for a caller to answer the dispatcher’s questions.
- 911 calls are free so remember to stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.
Ethel Matshiya - Ethel Matshiya was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and sociology and a master’s ...
Join the Conversation