Supervisor Speaks On Guard Charges

BOSTON--The most experienced security supervisor in the Harvard University Police Department this week said he had once been treated unfairly by department officials and criticized his bosses for allowing the current controversy over alleged discrimination in the guard unit to spin "out of control."

Interviewed in his home here, Andrew J. Parker, the department's lone Black supervisor, said he found the security office an unpleasant place to work. He said many of the problems in the security department began after Lt. Herschell Russell retired from managing the department five years ago, leaving Manager of Operations for Security Robert J. Dowling in control.

"We seem to have come into an atmosphere within the office where you don't want to go in," said Parker. "I don't know how it started and I don't know how it is going to end."

Dowling refused to comment yesterday, referring questions all questions to Police Chief Paul E. Johnson. Johnson was out of the office yesterday, and did not return a phone call yesterday.

Guards interviewed by The Crimson said Parker is the most popular supervisor. Department sources said Parker, unlike some guards who have charged harassment, has not been a disciplinary problem.

Parker was hired as a Harvard guard by Capt. George Walsh in 1978. Dowling promoted him to supervisor in 1984. His name was listed in the book, Who's Who in Law Enforcement, in 1983 and 1986.

Parker's comments are the first public statements by a management official that are critical of the department. Parker, who is on disability leave, said he worried about relations between security supervisors Donald P. Behenna and Thomas F. Henaghan, and the guards they supervise. He said he did not bring up his concerns with superiors because he did not think it was appropriate.

Behenna and Henaghan, who have been publicly charged with harassment by guards they supervised, are at the center of an investigation of the security department being conducted by General Counsel Margaret H. Marshall and former FBI Agent James A. Ring. Henaghan has denied the charges, and Behenna has refused to answer questions from The Crimson.

In the past year, nine former and current employees have charged they were discriminated against by department management. Police and University officials--including Dowling and Johnson--have denied the charges.

Parker said Dowling had reprimanded both supervisors in an attempt to stem guard complaints.

"There were reprimands," said Parker. "Whether that was enough, I don't know."

Parker also said he believed the department had treated him unfairly in the awarding of shifts. He said that he did not know what the motives for the alleged discrimination had been, but that he had written Police Chief Paul E. Johnson on the matter on July 27, 1990.

In Parker's letter to the chief, which was obtained by The Crimson and confirmed by Parker, the supervisor said he had to wait five years to receive weekends off, and then had them off only for a four-month period.

In the letter, Parker said the other four security supervisors had to wait less than a year for weekends off, and they got evenings off, too, while Parker had to work nights. Security supervisor Emmanuel Mango waited less than six months for free Saturdays and Sundays.

And in the same letter, Parker suggested there as favoritism toward Henaghan, a guard who was promoted to supervisor in 1989 just six months after he was initially hired.

"Prior to schedule assignment, Tom Henaghan had stated verbally that he couldn't work his present shift," Parker wrote. "If there is no change he would have to resign. Is it just a coincidence that I am now assign (sic) to work Tom Henaghan's swing shift and he is scheduled to work days with Saturday and Sunday off?"

Parker said Johnson canceled several appointments with him to discuss the subject, and the supervisor said the chief initially forwarded the complaint to Dowling for a response.

In that response, which was obtained by The Crimson, Dowling did not dispute the differing treatment of the supervisors. He said Parker could not work days with weekends off because he had not learned how to do the unit's payroll. Dowling also suggested that Parker had betrayed his friendship by charging discrimination because Dowling had helped Parker on numerous occasions, including loaning him money and saving his job on two occasions.

Parker acknowledged borrowing money, but he vigorously disputed that his job was ever in jeopardy. Parker said he did not learn to do the payroll because he worked nights and Dowling had never given him an opportunity.

Eventually, Parker met with Johnson and received weekends off. But he said the incident upset him because Dowling had attacked him personally.

"I feel as though there were discriminatory practices," Parker said this week, adding that he did not understand why Dowling had reacted so strongly to his letter. "I don't think it was right or professional."

Although Parker said he disagreed with how Behenna treated security guards, he said he did not believe Behenna's actions were racially motivated.

Parker confirmed that Dowling promoted both him and Behenna to supervisor in 1984, with the approval of then-Police Lt. Donald Nunn. Behenna, in four years as a guard, had a history of disciplinary problems, including a five-day suspension, according to security department documents.

Parker said most guards complaining of harassment had to be closely supervised. But Parker said supervisors often exacerbated problems with bad attitudes.

"There are some people who can work alone, and there are some you have to stick with," Parker said. "A lot of it has to do with attitudes."

Parker, who had worked in supervisory roles at both Children's Hospital and First Security Services, said he soon came to regret his decision to accept a post as supervisor at Harvard.

'I think if the chief had gotten involved more, a lot of things wouldn't have happened. A lot of times I don't know if he was aware of what was going on.'

Parker, on Paul E. Johnson's role in the security controversy.

"Needless to say, after a short time I'd been there, I could have kicked myself for doing it," Parker said of his decision to leave his guard post for a supervisor's role.

Parker said his bosses have criticized him for being too easygoing. But Parker said his friendly management style made him an effective supervisor.

"One of my problems is I'm well-liked," said Parker. "They say you have to be more of a disciplinarian. But I don't think that's the way to do it."

"I'm going to tell you to your face when you screw up," he added. "I think I gained respect from the people that way."

Parker said he had seen numerous changes in the department during his 15 years on the job. Chief among them has been the move toward civilian supervision of guards. When Parker became a supervisor, his colleagues included Sgt. Robert Sutherland and Sgt. Arthur Fitzhugh. Both sergeants, who are now employed elsewhere in the Harvard police, are Black.

Parker said he expects Dowling to make more changes in the security department. In a June 25, 1991 memo, Dowling said he was not going to retire until 1996.

Parker said he has had only two other problems during his career. In 1985 his boss, Lt. Nunn, called him a "god damn liar" after he complained to Johnson about a switch in shifts, according to Parker and documents. The switch, which was made because Nunn had wanted to discipline Fitzhugh, was eventually reversed.

In 1988, Lt. Herschell Russell, who ran the department with Dowling, gave Parker an ultimatum in response to a complaint about the student security service, according to a memo obtained by The Crimson. Parker was stripped of his responsibility as a supervisor, and he could choose between going back to being a guard or working as an assistant to Dowling.

Parker--who said he was not any point disciplined for the initial complaint about security--asked for a written explanation, but Russell never provided one. The supervisor accepted the post of assisting Dowling, but he was transferred back to his old job less than six months later.

Parker said he had no problem with the job performance of two of his colleagues--security supervisors Emmanuel Mango and Audeno Bavaro. But he said he wondered if a more assertive chief of police might have been able to resolve problems in the security department.

"I think if the chief had gotten involved more, a lot of things wouldn't have happened," said Parker "A lot of times I don't know if he was aware of what was going on."

'We seem to have come into an atmosphere within the office where you don't want to go in. I don't know how it started and I don't know how it is going to end.'

Andrew J. Parker

HUPD security supervisor

Supervisors' ShiftsThe time between security supervisor hiring and the granting of weekends off:Name  Hired  Received Weekends OffAndrew Parker  9/16/84  12/4/88Don Behenna  8/7/88  8/7/88Manny Mango  1/23/88  6/26/88Dino Bavaro  8/6/89  4/1/90Tom Henaghan  8/6/89  9/5/90Source: Crimson researc

Parker said Dowling had reprimanded both supervisors in an attempt to stem guard complaints.

"There were reprimands," said Parker. "Whether that was enough, I don't know."

Parker also said he believed the department had treated him unfairly in the awarding of shifts. He said that he did not know what the motives for the alleged discrimination had been, but that he had written Police Chief Paul E. Johnson on the matter on July 27, 1990.

In Parker's letter to the chief, which was obtained by The Crimson and confirmed by Parker, the supervisor said he had to wait five years to receive weekends off, and then had them off only for a four-month period.

In the letter, Parker said the other four security supervisors had to wait less than a year for weekends off, and they got evenings off, too, while Parker had to work nights. Security supervisor Emmanuel Mango waited less than six months for free Saturdays and Sundays.

And in the same letter, Parker suggested there as favoritism toward Henaghan, a guard who was promoted to supervisor in 1989 just six months after he was initially hired.

"Prior to schedule assignment, Tom Henaghan had stated verbally that he couldn't work his present shift," Parker wrote. "If there is no change he would have to resign. Is it just a coincidence that I am now assign (sic) to work Tom Henaghan's swing shift and he is scheduled to work days with Saturday and Sunday off?"

Parker said Johnson canceled several appointments with him to discuss the subject, and the supervisor said the chief initially forwarded the complaint to Dowling for a response.

In that response, which was obtained by The Crimson, Dowling did not dispute the differing treatment of the supervisors. He said Parker could not work days with weekends off because he had not learned how to do the unit's payroll. Dowling also suggested that Parker had betrayed his friendship by charging discrimination because Dowling had helped Parker on numerous occasions, including loaning him money and saving his job on two occasions.

Parker acknowledged borrowing money, but he vigorously disputed that his job was ever in jeopardy. Parker said he did not learn to do the payroll because he worked nights and Dowling had never given him an opportunity.

Eventually, Parker met with Johnson and received weekends off. But he said the incident upset him because Dowling had attacked him personally.

"I feel as though there were discriminatory practices," Parker said this week, adding that he did not understand why Dowling had reacted so strongly to his letter. "I don't think it was right or professional."

Although Parker said he disagreed with how Behenna treated security guards, he said he did not believe Behenna's actions were racially motivated.

Parker confirmed that Dowling promoted both him and Behenna to supervisor in 1984, with the approval of then-Police Lt. Donald Nunn. Behenna, in four years as a guard, had a history of disciplinary problems, including a five-day suspension, according to security department documents.

Parker said most guards complaining of harassment had to be closely supervised. But Parker said supervisors often exacerbated problems with bad attitudes.

"There are some people who can work alone, and there are some you have to stick with," Parker said. "A lot of it has to do with attitudes."

Parker, who had worked in supervisory roles at both Children's Hospital and First Security Services, said he soon came to regret his decision to accept a post as supervisor at Harvard.

'I think if the chief had gotten involved more, a lot of things wouldn't have happened. A lot of times I don't know if he was aware of what was going on.'

Parker, on Paul E. Johnson's role in the security controversy.

"Needless to say, after a short time I'd been there, I could have kicked myself for doing it," Parker said of his decision to leave his guard post for a supervisor's role.

Parker said his bosses have criticized him for being too easygoing. But Parker said his friendly management style made him an effective supervisor.

"One of my problems is I'm well-liked," said Parker. "They say you have to be more of a disciplinarian. But I don't think that's the way to do it."

"I'm going to tell you to your face when you screw up," he added. "I think I gained respect from the people that way."

Parker said he had seen numerous changes in the department during his 15 years on the job. Chief among them has been the move toward civilian supervision of guards. When Parker became a supervisor, his colleagues included Sgt. Robert Sutherland and Sgt. Arthur Fitzhugh. Both sergeants, who are now employed elsewhere in the Harvard police, are Black.

Parker said he expects Dowling to make more changes in the security department. In a June 25, 1991 memo, Dowling said he was not going to retire until 1996.

Parker said he has had only two other problems during his career. In 1985 his boss, Lt. Nunn, called him a "god damn liar" after he complained to Johnson about a switch in shifts, according to Parker and documents. The switch, which was made because Nunn had wanted to discipline Fitzhugh, was eventually reversed.

In 1988, Lt. Herschell Russell, who ran the department with Dowling, gave Parker an ultimatum in response to a complaint about the student security service, according to a memo obtained by The Crimson. Parker was stripped of his responsibility as a supervisor, and he could choose between going back to being a guard or working as an assistant to Dowling.

Parker--who said he was not any point disciplined for the initial complaint about security--asked for a written explanation, but Russell never provided one. The supervisor accepted the post of assisting Dowling, but he was transferred back to his old job less than six months later.

Parker said he had no problem with the job performance of two of his colleagues--security supervisors Emmanuel Mango and Audeno Bavaro. But he said he wondered if a more assertive chief of police might have been able to resolve problems in the security department.

"I think if the chief had gotten involved more, a lot of things wouldn't have happened," said Parker "A lot of times I don't know if he was aware of what was going on."

'We seem to have come into an atmosphere within the office where you don't want to go in. I don't know how it started and I don't know how it is going to end.'

Andrew J. Parker

HUPD security supervisor

Supervisors' ShiftsThe time between security supervisor hiring and the granting of weekends off:Name  Hired  Received Weekends OffAndrew Parker  9/16/84  12/4/88Don Behenna  8/7/88  8/7/88Manny Mango  1/23/88  6/26/88Dino Bavaro  8/6/89  4/1/90Tom Henaghan  8/6/89  9/5/90Source: Crimson researc