CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 21 (UPI) -- Henry Louis Gates Jr. demanded an apology Tuesday from police who arrested the African-American scholar as he tried to get into his Cambridge, Mass., home.
Gates, a 58-year-old Harvard professor, demanded the apology after authorities agreed to drop a disorderly conduct charge against him, The Boston Globe reported.
He disputed the description of his behavior in the police report and alleged Sgt. James Crowley, who wrote it, had a "broad imagination," the Globe said.
Gates was arrested Thursday when police investigated a suspected burglary at his home near Harvard Square. A passerby had spotted Gates and his driver, who had dropped him off from the airport, trying to push open the jammed front door.
The police report accused Gates of yelling at the Crowley, making inflammatory remarks and calling him racist -- claims Gates denied.
"I believe the police officer should apologize to me for what he knows he did that was wrong," Gates told the Globe. "If he apologizes sincerely, I am willing to forgive him. And if he admits his error, I am willing to educate him about the history of racism in America and the issue of racial profiling. … That's what I do for a living."
The City of Cambridge and its police department released a joint statement.
"This incident should not be viewed as one that demeans the character and reputation of Professor Gates or the character of the Cambridge Police Department," the statement said. "All parties agree that (dropping the charge) is a just resolution to an unfortunate set of circumstances."
