BOSTON -- Cooler heads should have prevailed when Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's pre-eminent black scholars, was arrested after he forced open the front door of his home, a spokeswoman for the Cambridge Police Department said after disorderly conduct charges were dropped.

Gates, director of Harvard University's W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research, was arrested on Thursday after a woman spotted the 58-year-old trying to force open the door. Charges were dropped on Tuesday, but during the arrest, Gates allegedly accused the police department of racism.

"I think that what went wrong, personally, is that you had two human beings reacting to a set of circumstances and cooler heads did not prevail," said Kelly Downes, a spokeswoman for the Cambridge Police Department.

The Cambridge Police Department requested that the charges be dropped and the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office agreed to enter a nolle prosequi in this matter.

"It was not Professor Gates' best moment and it certainly was not the Cambridge Police Department's best moment," Downes said.

The Cambridge Police Department acknowledged that the incident was "regrettable and unfortunate."

"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. All parties agree that this is a just resolution to an unfortunate set of circumstances," officials said in a statement.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Gates accused the arresting officer of having a "broad imagination," and said that he'd like an apology. He told the Boston Globe that he "(believes) the police officer should apologize to me for what he knows he did that was wrong."

"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," Gates told the Globe.

According to the police report, the woman said she saw a man "wedging his shoulder into the front door as if to pry the door open," and when Gates was ordered to identify himself, he refused. Gates denied the police account in a statement released Monday night.

Cambridge police said Gates called the officer a racist and said, "This is what happens to black men in America," according to the police report.

This story has attracted national attention. The Rev. Al Sharpton spoke out in support of Gates, telling the Associated Press, "I have heard of 'driving while black' and even 'shopping while black,' but now, even going to your own home while black is a new low in police community affairs."

"I think it's a disgrace that someone would call the police on him just trying to get into his own house," said Malka Feldman, a neighbor.

"You can't fault someone for trying to help or protect someone if they reported something they really thought was happening. At the same time, he has lived here for quite a long time," said Melissa Coleman, a neighbor.

Officers said they tried to calm down the 58-year-old academic, who responded, "You don't know who you're messing with," according to the report.

On their Web site, Cambridge Police listed Gates' arrest for "disorderly conduct after exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior." The incident took place in the early afternoon.

Gates' attorney and fellow Harvard scholar Charles Ogletree refuted the police account in a statement posted on the Web site The Root.

Gates, who had just returned home from a trip to China, found his front door damaged and then entered his home with a key through the rear, Ogletree wrote.

"With the help of his driver they were able to force the front door open, and then the driver carried Professor Gates' luggage into his home," the statement said.

When police arrived, Gates invited the officer into his kitchen and "handed both his Harvard University identification and his valid Massachusetts driver’s license to the officer" as proof he lived there.

Gates said the officer refused to give him his name or badge number. Gates said when he followed him outside the officer thanked him, but then placed him under arrest.

"'Thank you for accommodating my earlier request,' (the officer said). He was handcuffed on his own front porch," the statement said.

The Middlesex District Attorney's Office said it could not comment on the case.

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