Officers Declared Not Biased

A citizens police-watch group announced last night that it had cleared two officers accused of misconduct by a Harvard School of Education student.

The Cambridge Police Review and Advisory Board, which regularly investigates complaints against the police department, was responding to a complaint leveled by the Rev. Judith B. Howie last fall.

Howie alleges that a Cambridge man struck the car she was driving with a 30-inch rod. The man, Christopher Hassell, also reportedly yelled, "Don't ever drive that close to me, nigger."

Further, Howie claims that the two officers responding to her call, Stephen Ahern and Peter Calnan, violated her civil rights by neglecting to record the presence of witnesses at the incident.

Howie, who is Black, said yesterday that she believes the officers misconduct was racially motivated.

But Dennis Kelly, the chair of the Review and Advisory Board, said last night that although the officers did make mistakes in their response to the complaint, they had gone "beyond their duty."

The two officers who responded to the call were already cleared by an internal review in the Cambridge Police Department in December.

And with closure of the external review, thecharges of misconduct against Ahern and Calnanhave been laid to rest.

A third Cambridge officer involved in the case,Officer Frank Pasquarello, who was also chargedwith misconduct on the case, was not mentioned inthe meeting of the board last night.

Pasquarello, who spoke to Howie the dayfollowing the incident when she called to askabout the progress of her case, was also clearedin December by the internal review.

Kelly said last night that the evidencepresented by Howie did not indicate that the Ahernand Calnan were guilty of racial discrimination.

Kelly did say that "someone" acted in a"racially discriminatory" manner toward Howie andher father, who was present during the attack.Kelly did not elaborate on this statement.

Kelly also said that although the officersinvolved had been mistaken in not tracking downwitnesses and collecting suspect information atthe scene, they were not guilty of misconduct.

"The police made their best efforts for twopeople they felt had been wronged," Kelly said.

The board voted last night to send a letter ofexplanation to Howie and her father. Kelly saidduring the meeting that such a letter might allayany concerns Howie might have that the board hadnot reviewed her case thoroughly.

President Neil L. Rudenstine and CambridgeMayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 have already sentletters to Howie expressing their dismay at theincident.

In the related criminal trial, evidence waspresented yesterday in a case against Hassell, whois charged with damage of property and violationof civil rights.

The jury has not yet reached a verdict on thecase, according to the office of the MiddlesexCounty district attorney.

Assistant District Attorney Minende Jones, whorepresented Howie in court proceedings yesterday,will not comment on the case while the jury isstill out, the district attorney's office said.

Bettye Freeman of the Attorney General's civilrights division also refused comment and directedinquiries to the district attorney's office.

Police officers Ahern and Calnan could not bereached for comment yesterday

And with closure of the external review, thecharges of misconduct against Ahern and Calnanhave been laid to rest.

A third Cambridge officer involved in the case,Officer Frank Pasquarello, who was also chargedwith misconduct on the case, was not mentioned inthe meeting of the board last night.

Pasquarello, who spoke to Howie the dayfollowing the incident when she called to askabout the progress of her case, was also clearedin December by the internal review.

Kelly said last night that the evidencepresented by Howie did not indicate that the Ahernand Calnan were guilty of racial discrimination.

Kelly did say that "someone" acted in a"racially discriminatory" manner toward Howie andher father, who was present during the attack.Kelly did not elaborate on this statement.

Kelly also said that although the officersinvolved had been mistaken in not tracking downwitnesses and collecting suspect information atthe scene, they were not guilty of misconduct.

"The police made their best efforts for twopeople they felt had been wronged," Kelly said.

The board voted last night to send a letter ofexplanation to Howie and her father. Kelly saidduring the meeting that such a letter might allayany concerns Howie might have that the board hadnot reviewed her case thoroughly.

President Neil L. Rudenstine and CambridgeMayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 have already sentletters to Howie expressing their dismay at theincident.

In the related criminal trial, evidence waspresented yesterday in a case against Hassell, whois charged with damage of property and violationof civil rights.

The jury has not yet reached a verdict on thecase, according to the office of the MiddlesexCounty district attorney.

Assistant District Attorney Minende Jones, whorepresented Howie in court proceedings yesterday,will not comment on the case while the jury isstill out, the district attorney's office said.

Bettye Freeman of the Attorney General's civilrights division also refused comment and directedinquiries to the district attorney's office.

Police officers Ahern and Calnan could not bereached for comment yesterday