Boston Police To Address Officer's Racial Slurs

Boston police are publicly addressing Thursday the disciplinary action taken against a city officer over racial slurs he made about the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates this month.

Officer Justin Barrett was placed on administrative leave and faces a termination hearing for an e-mail in which he wrote disparaging comments about Gates. Barrett has apologized.

Commissioner Ed Davis calls Barrett's comments "repulsive" and indicates that, while officials will adhere to due process, they do intend to fire Barrett.

At the White House on Thursday evening, President Obama meets with Gates and the police officer who arrested him to discuss the national debate over whether Gates arrest involved racial profiling.