Guard Describes Racial Incidents

A Harvard security guard joined six colleagues this week in criticizing what he says is an atmosphere hostile to minorities in the security division of the University police department.

The guard, Howard Reid, said some security officials have created an environment in which racial epithets were tolerated.

Reid, who is Black, charged that on one occasion Manager of Operations for Security Robert J. Dowling did not discipline a guard who used a racial epithet.

Reid also said Dowling singled him out for admonishment because he is Black.

Dowling has referred all questions to his attorney, John F. Lakin, and Police Chief Paul E. Johnson. Lakin and Johnson did not return phone calls yesterday.

Reid was the first guard to tell The Crimson about allegations of racial harassment in the security department last spring, although he requested then that his name not be used. All told, seven former and current guards, including Reid, have made public charges.

University officials--including Johnson, former General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54 and Director of Human Resources Diane Patrick--denied the charges.

In addition, an investigation by the general counsel's office in the spring cleared security supervisors of wrongdoing. But some guards, including Reid,claimed the University investigation was one-sidedbecause they were not interviewed. Last week,President Neil L. Rudenstine moved to reopen theinvestigation of the guards' charges.

Reid, a five year veteran of the unit, said herequired anonymity when speaking about thesecurity department because he feared retaliationfrom department officials.

"Since the articles came out," Reid said,referring to reports in The Crimson,"[supervisors] have gone out of their way to benice to me." There have been no further overtinstances of harassment by security supervisorssince the spring, Reid said.

Reid, 26, in an interview yesterday recountedtwo specific cases--one several years ago and onelast spring--when epithets were used in front ofsupervisors. Reid said he did not report eitherincident because he did not believe securityofficials would treat his complaint seriously.

Describing the first incident, Reid said thatearly in his tenure as a guard, he encountered agroup of white guards with Dowling and securitysupervisor Donald P. Behenna in the office at 29Garden St.

Reid said that one guard, referring to theupcoming holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.,asked "Who's going to take the nigger day off?"

Reid said Dowling appeared to hear thestatement, but left the room without discipliningthe guard in question.

Reid had previously charged that he washarassed during shifts by security supervisorBehenna in the spring. Behenna has refused todiscuss with The Crimson any of the allegations.

Reid said he called this reporter in the springshortly after one white guard told him, in thepresence of a supervisor, "you see you niggersgetting your asses kicked in L.A. One reason wehave so many problems in this department is youpeople."

Reid said he believed the supervisor shouldhave informed the guard that his comment wasinappropriate, but the supervisor did not do so.

Reid said that, because he is Black, he hasbeen singled out for criticism by Dowling.

He said Dowling has confronted him about thenumber of sick days he has taken off, though Reidsays he has never taken as many sick days as he isallotted by contract.

On one occasion, after calling in sick from alocal hospital, Reid, who had tonsillitis, wastold by Dowling that the guard should not "comeback to this fucking job without a fuckingdoctor's note."

Reid also said Dowling had falsely accused himof making unauthorized long distance phone callsduring his shifts. Reid said when he told Dowlingthat he was not on duty when the phone calls weremade, Dowling dropped the accusation, but did notapologize.

Reid said he believed he was singled out inthese instances because he is Black.

Reid said yesterday he was worried how thealleged toleration of epithets and harassment inthe guard unit may impact students and faculty whodeal with the guards.

"If somebody above you tolerates this, don'tyou think you'll do the same thing to peoplearound you?" Reid said.

Reid's comments echoed those made last week byDean of Students Archie C. Epps III.

Epps said he was concerned that tensions withinthe guard unit could spill over into the communityas a whole.

"It's one of the most serious problems in theCollege from my point of view," Epps said. "Itaffects the nature of all relationships here and Ihope the leadership will start looking forsolutions soon

Reid, a five year veteran of the unit, said herequired anonymity when speaking about thesecurity department because he feared retaliationfrom department officials.

"Since the articles came out," Reid said,referring to reports in The Crimson,"[supervisors] have gone out of their way to benice to me." There have been no further overtinstances of harassment by security supervisorssince the spring, Reid said.

Reid, 26, in an interview yesterday recountedtwo specific cases--one several years ago and onelast spring--when epithets were used in front ofsupervisors. Reid said he did not report eitherincident because he did not believe securityofficials would treat his complaint seriously.

Describing the first incident, Reid said thatearly in his tenure as a guard, he encountered agroup of white guards with Dowling and securitysupervisor Donald P. Behenna in the office at 29Garden St.

Reid said that one guard, referring to theupcoming holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr.,asked "Who's going to take the nigger day off?"

Reid said Dowling appeared to hear thestatement, but left the room without discipliningthe guard in question.

Reid had previously charged that he washarassed during shifts by security supervisorBehenna in the spring. Behenna has refused todiscuss with The Crimson any of the allegations.

Reid said he called this reporter in the springshortly after one white guard told him, in thepresence of a supervisor, "you see you niggersgetting your asses kicked in L.A. One reason wehave so many problems in this department is youpeople."

Reid said he believed the supervisor shouldhave informed the guard that his comment wasinappropriate, but the supervisor did not do so.

Reid said that, because he is Black, he hasbeen singled out for criticism by Dowling.

He said Dowling has confronted him about thenumber of sick days he has taken off, though Reidsays he has never taken as many sick days as he isallotted by contract.

On one occasion, after calling in sick from alocal hospital, Reid, who had tonsillitis, wastold by Dowling that the guard should not "comeback to this fucking job without a fuckingdoctor's note."

Reid also said Dowling had falsely accused himof making unauthorized long distance phone callsduring his shifts. Reid said when he told Dowlingthat he was not on duty when the phone calls weremade, Dowling dropped the accusation, but did notapologize.

Reid said he believed he was singled out inthese instances because he is Black.

Reid said yesterday he was worried how thealleged toleration of epithets and harassment inthe guard unit may impact students and faculty whodeal with the guards.

"If somebody above you tolerates this, don'tyou think you'll do the same thing to peoplearound you?" Reid said.

Reid's comments echoed those made last week byDean of Students Archie C. Epps III.

Epps said he was concerned that tensions withinthe guard unit could spill over into the communityas a whole.

"It's one of the most serious problems in theCollege from my point of view," Epps said. "Itaffects the nature of all relationships here and Ihope the leadership will start looking forsolutions soon