Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan not apologizing to Keith Sutton

Wake County school board member Keith Sutton isn't getting the apology he wanted from Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan or from the officer who nearly arrested him at the chaotic July 20 board meeting.

Sutton said he was only trying to calm things down when he went into the crowd of people who were being arrested for disrupting the meeting to protest the end of Wake's diversity policy. An officer pulled Sutton's arms behind his back before letting him go after school staff interceded.

Sutton had publicly called for the apology while Dolan had said board members shouldn't place themselves between demonstrators and police. Both men met face-to-face July 30.

"It was a good meeting," Sutton said. "We both gained a better understanding of each other's perspective."

Sutton said "there were some things we agreed to disagree on," including not getting an apology from Dolan or from the officer. But Sutton said "it's not a deal-breaker" for him, He said he considers the issue closed.

Sutton said he had actually gotten an apology on July 20 from Captain Stacy Deans, who was in charge of the officers on the scene. Jim Sughrue, a Raleigh police spokesman, confirmed that Deans had told Sutton it was unfortunate what had happened.

Sutton's near-arrest and call for an apology had raised the heat over the diversity controversy.

The state NAACP, which had organized the July 20 protest, had protested the "rough handling and momentary arrest" of Sutton.

But school board chairman Ron Margiotta issued an open letter thanking Dolan and the Raleigh Police for their "professionalism" in the way they responded at the board meeting.

Earlier this week, the Wake Community Network, run by conservative activist Joey Stansbury, issues a press release criticizing Sutton's complaints about  the he was treated by police.

"Who is Joey Stansbury?" Sutton quipped about the latest criticism.