July 27, 2009— -- Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested on June 16 on charges of disorderly conduct, which were later dropped. The police was dispatched to Gates' house after a 911 call reporting a break-in. Here is the full transcript of that 911 call, made by Lucia Whalen, and the subsequent police dispatches.
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.
