Students to Organize Security Group

At an organizational meeting last night of Students Organized for Security 17 students decided to seek University recognition for the group.

The students formulated the following goals for the organization:

* To increase awareness of security risks and security services.

* To obtain action by the University to improve security.

* To establish student-run programs to improve communications and services.

Saul L. Chafin, chief of University Police, spoke at the meeting and explained the way in which the police compile statistics on crimes committed at Harvard.

He said the University includes only crimes committed on or "very near" Harvard property in the weekly statistics released to the Harvard community.

Crimes committed on Cambridge streets are not included in the statistics because they are outside University Police's jurisdiction, he added.

Students at the meeting expressed surprise that crimes involving Harvard students occurring on Cambridge property are not included in the statistics.

Elizabeth M. Einaudi '83, one of the organizers of SOS, said last night "Harvard has a responsibility to keep track of violent crimes committed on Cambridge property and to distribute those statistics to members of the Harvard community." She added she was "appalled" this was not already the case.

Chafin said he is "not opposed" to students having access to those figures.

In addition to requesting more accurate crime statistics, SOS organizers suggested measures to improve security which include a permanent University-wide committee on security, improved escort services, regular bulletins covering all violent crimes in the campus area, and a security hotline to improve crime reporting.

Students at the meeting also discussed recent incidents of violent crime on the Harvard campus, and concluded that SOS should make a greater effort to involve University employees and graduate students.