Peabody Residents Consider Safety

The assault of a Singapore police officer in front of Peabody Terrace Friday night has prompted residents and police to reexamine the safety of the Harvard-owned apartments.

Tan Puay Kern, a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, was attacked by three men around 6:30 p.m. Friday while returning to his apartment, according to police reports.

"I was walking along the basketball courts and three men were approaching me," Tan said. "One guy punched me, and I squatted down with my umbrella for protection."

The other two assailants kicked him in the face, Tan said.

Tan fled the scene and was not pursued. He was taken by ambulance to Cambridge Hospital, according to Harvard Police Lt. Lawrence J. Murphy, and transferred to Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary. He received seven stitches and treatment for a blood clot in his right eye.

Tan, who now is wearing a bandage over his right eye, said last night he had difficulty reading because of the medication he was using to treat the blood clot.

The attack was unprovoked and no suspects have been found, according to Murphy. Nothing was stolen in the incident.

"It appears to have occurred completely randomly, for no real reason," Murphy said yesterday.

Tan said his nationality was not a factor in the attack.

"They didn't care that I was from Singapore," he said. "This could have happened to anyone walking down the street."

Concerned Residents

That fear prompted more than 40 Peabody residents to meet with police and Harvard Real Estate (HRE) officials last night to discuss prevention of future attacks.

Murphy and University Provost Albert Carnesale met with residents Monday to discuss similar concerns.

"We wanted to get ideas for improving our security program, because we need a multi-faceted approach," said HRE president Kristen S. Demong.

The residents, most of whom are foreign graduate students, proposed a series of security measures.

"We want security to be stepped up to the level it is in the undergraduate houses," one resident said.

Several residents demanded that police continue their investigation into the attack on Tan.

But Cambridge police said last night that they will soon suspend their investigation due to lack of information.

Tan could only identify his attackers as three males.

HRE, which owns Peabody Terrace, agreed to install additional lighting and to hire an additional uniformed security officer.

And Cambridge police offered to provide an officer to walk through the area each afternoon and evening.

Some monitoring will be done by Peabody inhabitants themselves. Residents signed up at last night's meeting to create a crime watch committee.

Harvard police will establish a self-defense program for residents and inform them of safe walking routes, Murphy said.

Shattered Security

The attack shattered some residents' sense of security.

"This shows that even at 6:30 you have to be careful," Tan said.

"I felt safe until the incident, but it's made me uncomfortable," said Peabody resident leske K. Iehsi.

But police called the attack an isolated incident.

"There is no pattern of violence," said Murphy. "This is not a high crime area and it's generally very safe."

Police have been called to Peabody only nine times this year, Cambridge police said at the meeting

"It appears to have occurred completely randomly, for no real reason," Murphy said yesterday.

Tan said his nationality was not a factor in the attack.

"They didn't care that I was from Singapore," he said. "This could have happened to anyone walking down the street."

Concerned Residents

That fear prompted more than 40 Peabody residents to meet with police and Harvard Real Estate (HRE) officials last night to discuss prevention of future attacks.

Murphy and University Provost Albert Carnesale met with residents Monday to discuss similar concerns.

"We wanted to get ideas for improving our security program, because we need a multi-faceted approach," said HRE president Kristen S. Demong.

The residents, most of whom are foreign graduate students, proposed a series of security measures.

"We want security to be stepped up to the level it is in the undergraduate houses," one resident said.

Several residents demanded that police continue their investigation into the attack on Tan.

But Cambridge police said last night that they will soon suspend their investigation due to lack of information.

Tan could only identify his attackers as three males.

HRE, which owns Peabody Terrace, agreed to install additional lighting and to hire an additional uniformed security officer.

And Cambridge police offered to provide an officer to walk through the area each afternoon and evening.

Some monitoring will be done by Peabody inhabitants themselves. Residents signed up at last night's meeting to create a crime watch committee.

Harvard police will establish a self-defense program for residents and inform them of safe walking routes, Murphy said.

Shattered Security

The attack shattered some residents' sense of security.

"This shows that even at 6:30 you have to be careful," Tan said.

"I felt safe until the incident, but it's made me uncomfortable," said Peabody resident leske K. Iehsi.

But police called the attack an isolated incident.

"There is no pattern of violence," said Murphy. "This is not a high crime area and it's generally very safe."

Police have been called to Peabody only nine times this year, Cambridge police said at the meeting