The Chief Speaks

To the Editors of The Crimson

Your editorial on March 4th is very unfair.

The entire editorial is based on unproven and unjustified allegations of misconduct in a lawsuit concerning the Harvard Police. In respect to certain allegations, you state them as if they were facts. In respect to another, you in effect state that if the allegation is true there is a problem that needs attention. (It also could be written that if people had wings, we might not need airplanes.) You never mention that all the allegations of misconduct have been denied in the lawsuit, nor do you offer any evidence to support them.

The Harvard community quite properly deplores the use of unflattering stereotypes. The Crimson frequently is eloquent when condemning negative statements about women as a class and Blacks and other minority groups. Underlying your editorial are denigrating assumptions about police Department in particular. Why is it acceptable to make such assumptions about the men and women in my department? It is nice to have your generalized praise of our professionalism, but please be fair and do not assume that mere allegations of misconduct are the same as actual misconduct.

For the record let me state that the Harvard officers acted properly and professionally in the matter that is the subject of the lawsuit. Paul E. Johnson   Harvard Police Chief