Police Department Undergoing Changes

After months of complaints from officers, the Harvard Police Department appears to be undergoing a shake-up.

Sources said the major change in the department will be the elimination of two sets of work shifts. And the sources also said an audit of the police department is underway.

Officers who work from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. are likely to be reassigned, sources said. The displaced cops will likely work instead from 4 p.m. to midnight, or from midnight to 8 p.m.

Officers working the "6 to 2" and "10 to 6" shifts say they have been told only of the possibility of a shift change by police management.

"We've not been told definitely," said one officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We're not sure what they're doing, if they're trying to work something out with the union."

Police said that if the shifts are eliminated, the department could conceivably have few if any officers on the street during the "roll calls," or briefings, at the beginning of each shift. Currently, shifts overlap so "roll call" times are covered.

A senior police official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, speculated that the elimination of shifts could represent the first step in an attempt by management to gain more control over officers.

In recent months, officers have said the Harvard police unit is racked by internal dissension and inconsistent management. Much of the discontent seems to have been fueled by bitter negotiations between the University and members of the police officers' union, who have been working without a contract for nearly 18 months.

In addition, sources said an audit of police department finances has begun. But sources could not identify which part of the department was being audited.

In interviews earlier this month, Director of Internal Audit Michael J. Barone and Vice President and General Counsel Margaret H. Marshall would not confirm or deny the existence of an audit.

Lawrence J. Murphy, the acting chief of police, said recently he knew of no audit of his department. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.