Steiner Dismisses Harassment Charge

Vice President and General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54 yesterday denied allegations of racial harassment in the security division of the Harvard Police Department.

Steiner, who oversees the Police Department, said his office investigated such allegations several months ago and found them to be without merit.

"I have been aware of the allegations and a laywer in my department has conducted a thorough investigation," Steiner said.

While denying the allegations of harassment, Steiner acknowledged that there is "a perception" of racial problems in Harvard's security guard division.

Steiner said supervisors need to work to eliminate those perceptions.

"There is a perception of a problem," said Steiner. "management within the Police Department and the guard service need to try to deal with problems of perception more successfully."

Steiner said his office investigated as charge of racial harassment made by a Black guard in 1991 and reported in Wednesday's Crimson. He said the investigation determined that racial harrassment had not occurred

"It's quite an old story and from a carefullook...we don't think there was merit there,"Steiner said.

The guard said Tuesday he was fired after hecomplained that two supervisors in the securitydivision. Donald Behenna and Robert J, Dowling,racially harassed him. The University has sincereinstate the guard.

Dowling and Behenna, who are white, said theyare seeking legal counsel and declined to answerany questions.

The guard field a grievance with the ServiceEmployees International Union and a charge ofdiscrimination with the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission shortly after his firing inJuly 1991.

He was reinstated about two weeks later.Sources close to the investigation had said thereinstatement came after union officials pressuredthe University.

But Steiner said the guard was reinstatedbecause of a mistake by police and securitymanagement.

He said police and security officials hadthought the guard was still in his "probationaryperiod," the first six months of service duringwhich a guard can be fired for almost any reason.

"The reason he was reinstated through the[union] grievance process was because themanagement had thought he was still a probationemployee. He was not," Steiner said.

The guard, who requested anonymity because hefeared reprisals from his supervisors, said thatBehenna, security supervisor, singled him out forverbal abuse because he is Black.

He also said Dowling had mistreated him becauseof his race on two occasion and had fostered anenvironment in the guard unit that is unfriendlyto Blacks.

"People are angry," said the guard. "[Theharassment] is so blatant. It's not like a hiddenthing."

The security division employed the guardbetween January 1991 and July 1991. He wasreinstated and is still employed as a guard

"It's quite an old story and from a carefullook...we don't think there was merit there,"Steiner said.

The guard said Tuesday he was fired after hecomplained that two supervisors in the securitydivision. Donald Behenna and Robert J, Dowling,racially harassed him. The University has sincereinstate the guard.

Dowling and Behenna, who are white, said theyare seeking legal counsel and declined to answerany questions.

The guard field a grievance with the ServiceEmployees International Union and a charge ofdiscrimination with the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission shortly after his firing inJuly 1991.

He was reinstated about two weeks later.Sources close to the investigation had said thereinstatement came after union officials pressuredthe University.

But Steiner said the guard was reinstatedbecause of a mistake by police and securitymanagement.

He said police and security officials hadthought the guard was still in his "probationaryperiod," the first six months of service duringwhich a guard can be fired for almost any reason.

"The reason he was reinstated through the[union] grievance process was because themanagement had thought he was still a probationemployee. He was not," Steiner said.

The guard, who requested anonymity because hefeared reprisals from his supervisors, said thatBehenna, security supervisor, singled him out forverbal abuse because he is Black.

He also said Dowling had mistreated him becauseof his race on two occasion and had fostered anenvironment in the guard unit that is unfriendlyto Blacks.

"People are angry," said the guard. "[Theharassment] is so blatant. It's not like a hiddenthing."

The security division employed the guardbetween January 1991 and July 1991. He wasreinstated and is still employed as a guard