Different Choices, Equal Protection

"You folks need to settle your differences and get along," Sergeant Waddell mumbles as he leaves the apartment with you trailing behind him. The sergeant, a 30-year veteran, switches on the ignition of the cruiser and continues, half-talking to you and half-talking to himself.

"I don't know what the world's coming to! Two men living together like that. It just ain't natural. It's tough enough dealing with the Saturday night husband-and-wife drunks without having to try to calm down the likes of them. They like to call themselves gay, but from the looks of that smaller one, it don't look like he was having too gay of a time. Looked like that bigger feller whipped up on him. Besides, him being as thin as he was, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't have AIDS. I'll tell you one thing, I was glad to get out of there. Who knows what kind of germs was in their apartment?" Lighting a cigarette, he turns to you. "I bet they didn't teach you how to deal with those kind of people in college."

You pause before you respond, not wanting to offend the sergeant, who is also your training officer. "We were taught that it would be difficult and challenging when dealing with the homosexual community- because of AIDS, our own biases and prejudices, and a lot of the myths that are going around."

"Myths, my ass," Sergeant Waddell interrupts. "That AIDS disease will kill you stone-cold dead. I don't trust the government. You can't tell me you can't catch that stuff from mosquitoes either. Who knows how you can catch it? All I know is I want to wash my hands."

"Well, I would agree that there are a lot of questions," you reply. "But our professors always reminded us that every citizen was entitled to equal protection under the law, regardless of their sexual preference. I was taught that I was to treat them professionally, just as in any domestic disturbance. It seems to me that we should have done something besides just telling them to quiet down and get along with each other. I mean, we should have arrested the big guy just like we would have done it if was a spousal abuse case."

Pulling into the McDonald's parking lot, the sergeant turns once more to you. "Simpson, you're a good kid and I believe you will make a fine officer. But you need to remember that the classroom is one thing and the real world is another. I don't hate that kind of people, but they made their bed and now they'll have to lie in it. I don't know what else we could have done. They weren't married and, even if they were, I don't believe it's legal in this state. We couldn't take the little guy to a spousal abuse shelter, they'd laugh their asses off at us. And I don't think the domestic violence law covers people like that anyway. Why don't you go order us a couple of black coffees to go while I wash my hands?"

Waiting on the coffee, you reflect on Waddell's words. He is a respected veteran police officer and you understand his uneasiness. You feel it, too. You also remember the look of fear and helplessness on the face of the battered guy, Eddie, who called the police. One part of you wants to go back to check on him and do something, even if it means arresting the other guy for domestic violence. Another part of you wants to stay on Sergeant Waddell's good side. After all, he is your training officer. What are you going to do?

Questions

• Should same-sex relationships be covered under domestic violence and spousal abuse laws?

• What should the officer do in this case?