Police Chief Leaves for South; Morse Named Interim Director

University Police Capt Jack W. Morse was named interim security director while a search committee considers a replacement for former Chief Saul L. Chafin, Vice President Daniel Steiner '54 announced yesterday.

Chafin officially ended his tenure at Harvard yesterday, departing for a post as head of campus police at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Morse, who came to Harvard with Chafin's predecessor, David L. Gorski, has been Chafin's second-in-command for the five years Chafin was chief.

In making the appointment. Steiner stressed that Morse would not be the permanent director.

"Mr. Morse has indicated to me that he is not interested in a position as permanent head of the department," Steiner said.

Morse said yesterday he was attempting to give the University flexibility in choosing a new chief by taking the top post exclusively on a temporary basis.

"I'm a career police executive," he said. "But I think its important for the University to look over the whole spectrum of candidates before they make a decision."

Harvard will conduct a national search to find a replacement for Chafin. A committee of six which Steiner will chair, will direct the search. A replacement should be named by January 1.

Although Chafin announced his intention to leave several weeks ago, the search committee has yet to formally begin its work Committee member David N. Smith, vice dean of the Law School said yesterday that the group has had only one meeting which he termed informal and preliminary.

"We haven't looked at resumes, of talked to anyone," he said, but added that some organizational work has been done.

The first formal meeting of the committee will take place next week.

In addition to Smith, the committee includes Edward Powers, associate general counsel for the University, Janice Jones, manager of staff and recruiting at the University's personnel department, Paul LaPoint, assistant dean of the Business School, and Marlyn M. Lewis '70, assistant dean of the College. There are no student representatives on the committee.

Chafin accepted the post at Vanderbilt in August. The move, he said at that time, reflected the lifetime desire of his wife for a home in the South and a sense on his part that it was time for a change.

"You've got to keep moving," he said Thursday "I've always been a man who liked change. Stress and pressure [of change] keep your mind young," he added.

Looking around his office Thursday, Chafin reflected on his departure. "This was a very warm room," he said, gesturing at a bare desk and empty walls that still bear the marks of plaques and paintings.

"It hits home," he said, "You're going. This is a reality of life."

University patrolmen and security guards interviewed yesterday unanimously agree that he will be missed. "You could really talk to him," said Joseph Rynn, a guard for 25 years. "His office was always open."

"A super guy," agreed security guard Robert Morse, who has worked for the department for 23 years. "He would come up to you in the Yard, or wherever, and say hello, ask how you were. He cared about everyone.