Yes, the initial call to police stated that two men with backpacks were forcing open the door of the house:


"According to a police report ...a neighbor saw the two men "wedging" their shoulders into the door "to force entry" and phoned police.

This is where the two accounts of the incident diverge. Gates maintains he was discriminated against from the outset, but Crowley reports that he initially asked Gates to come and speak with him, to which Gates responded, "No, I will not."

Despite Gates' attitude and later accusations, Crowley reported that he was quickly satisfied that Gates was the homeowner. His next step was to determine whether there were, in fact, actual burglars who might still be in the residence. For all Crowley knew, Gates had arrived after the phone call had been made and might be walking in on a burglary.

After asking Gates whether there were other people inside, Crowley said the professor yelled to him that it was "none of my business and accused me of being a racist police officer." Gates also had picked up a phone and, while warning Crowley that he had no idea who he was "messing with," telephoned the police department. Undeterred, Crowley asked Gates for identification. After initially refusing, Gates presented his Harvard credentials.

Ironically, it wasn't during their exchange that Gates wound up being arrested. After the officer had exited the residence and was preparing to leave, Gates continued to hurl epithets. Crowley warned him twice that he was becoming disorderly and would be placed under arrest if he didn't calm down. Gates ignored the warnings and the officer arrested him. "