Harvard Police Appoint Race Relations Officer

While maintaining that nothing more than a "perception" of racism exists in the University's security guard department, Police Chief Paul E. Johnson confirmed this week that he had named a police officer with race relations experience to serve as a resource for the guards.

Kevin Bryant, a Black officer who has been with the University for about a year, addressed the guard unit during annual training sessions held earlier this summer. According to guards in attendance, Bryant discussed race relations and offered to listen to guards who had race problems on the job.

Last spring, seven former and current minority guards said they were harassed by supervisors because of their race and ethnicity. University officials--including Johnson, former General Counsel Daniel Steiner '54 and manager of operations for security Robert J. Dowling--denied the allegations of harassment. incidents conducted by the General Counsel'soffice in the spring found no wrongdoing by thesupervisors, several guards claimed the Universitybotched the inquiry by failing to interview them.

Bryant, formerly a police investigator for theSomerville Housing Authority, said he does notknow enough about the allegations to comment. Andwhile some guards referred to him as a "racialofficer," Bryant said he has no authority and isnot an administrator.

"I'm just somebody that if they want to talk tosomebody about what's going on in the unit, I'mthere," Bryant said.

Sgt. Larry Fennelly, who helped select Bryantto speak during the training program, said therewas no connection between the naming of Bryant andthe security guard controversy.

Fennelly said Bryant was chosen largely for hisexperience in Somerville and his "unusualpersonality--very bouncy, very congenial, verycordial."

Johnson would not say whether he had tappedBryant in response to the allegations ofharassment. Johnson said that the guard trainingprograms are held every year and that it is notuncommon for University employees to speak at thesessions.

"We have training programs all the time,"Johnson said. "We utilize in-house people."

In the past, the sessions, which were attendedby security guard supervisors, have dealt withissues such as race and homosexuality. AssistantDean for Race Relations and Minority Affairs HildaHernandez-Gravelle conducted the sessions lastyear.

"Good Management Practice"

Frank Connors, acting General Counsel,indicated in an interview that there may be aconnection between the appointment and theallegations. He called the move "good managementpractice" and said it was one way of finding outif guards have any more complaints like the onesmade public in the spring.

"It's a prudent step taken to find out what'sgoing on and if there are grievances out therethat we don't know about," Connors said.

Several minority guards, including some ofthose who claimed harassment in the spring, saidthey were unimpressed by Bryant's appointment.Some suggested that their supervisors, not theguards, need to undergo sensitivity training.

"The problem with the whole department has beensupervisors," said a police department officialfamiliar with the guard unit. "It doesn't seem asthough we're getting to the heart of the problemin putting Kevin in there."

Bryant, however, should not be underestimated,according to those who have worked with him. KarenA. Jenner, director of public safety at theSomerville Housing Authority, said Bryant was askilled mediator who worked well with tenants ofall races.

"We had a situation once with some of the whiteteenagers and Haitian teenagers with a little bitof a turf situation," said Jenner. "Because bothclasses of people respected him, he ended up inthe middle and it was not an issue after that.

Bryant, formerly a police investigator for theSomerville Housing Authority, said he does notknow enough about the allegations to comment. Andwhile some guards referred to him as a "racialofficer," Bryant said he has no authority and isnot an administrator.

"I'm just somebody that if they want to talk tosomebody about what's going on in the unit, I'mthere," Bryant said.

Sgt. Larry Fennelly, who helped select Bryantto speak during the training program, said therewas no connection between the naming of Bryant andthe security guard controversy.

Fennelly said Bryant was chosen largely for hisexperience in Somerville and his "unusualpersonality--very bouncy, very congenial, verycordial."

Johnson would not say whether he had tappedBryant in response to the allegations ofharassment. Johnson said that the guard trainingprograms are held every year and that it is notuncommon for University employees to speak at thesessions.

"We have training programs all the time,"Johnson said. "We utilize in-house people."

In the past, the sessions, which were attendedby security guard supervisors, have dealt withissues such as race and homosexuality. AssistantDean for Race Relations and Minority Affairs HildaHernandez-Gravelle conducted the sessions lastyear.

"Good Management Practice"

Frank Connors, acting General Counsel,indicated in an interview that there may be aconnection between the appointment and theallegations. He called the move "good managementpractice" and said it was one way of finding outif guards have any more complaints like the onesmade public in the spring.

"It's a prudent step taken to find out what'sgoing on and if there are grievances out therethat we don't know about," Connors said.

Several minority guards, including some ofthose who claimed harassment in the spring, saidthey were unimpressed by Bryant's appointment.Some suggested that their supervisors, not theguards, need to undergo sensitivity training.

"The problem with the whole department has beensupervisors," said a police department officialfamiliar with the guard unit. "It doesn't seem asthough we're getting to the heart of the problemin putting Kevin in there."

Bryant, however, should not be underestimated,according to those who have worked with him. KarenA. Jenner, director of public safety at theSomerville Housing Authority, said Bryant was askilled mediator who worked well with tenants ofall races.

"We had a situation once with some of the whiteteenagers and Haitian teenagers with a little bitof a turf situation," said Jenner. "Because bothclasses of people respected him, he ended up inthe middle and it was not an issue after that.