A Boston police officer and National Guard commander has been suspended from the force and stripped of his Army command after admitting that he called Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. a "jungle monkey" in an email.
Justin Barrett, 36, a two-year BPD veteran, could be fired as early as this week, Boston Police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said.
Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis held a news conference today to denounce the language in Barrett's email, calling it "venomous rhetoric" and "inflammatory." The commissioner said such behavior "will not be tolerated."
Davis said he has begun a termination hearing that could last a week to 10 days. The commissioner also said he regretted the comments made about Gates.
"I personally reached out to him to apologize for this offense," the commissioner said.
Davis' news conference included religious and black leaders who also condemned Barrett's comments and tried to soothe racial feelings. The also warned that such prejudice must be eliminated from the ranks of police.
"Everybody knows one flat tire will stop a car," said the Rev. Don Mohammed.
I am pleased in Zero Tolerance that the Boston police force is using... This can of behavior should not ever be tolerated period. I am a little caught off guard in who leaked the email??? I wonder if it was one of his so called friends who was laughing with him one minute and as soon as he turned his back, well you know the rest.
Like with Rodney King if it was not for the video tape he would have been sentenced for resisting arrest. So the email is his smoking gone and because of it he has to go.
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