Building A Better Blotter

In the wake of the recent arrest of Joshua M. Elster '00 on charges of sexual assault, the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) was found to be in violation of Massachusetts state law by failing to record both the report of the rape and the arrest itself.

To prevent such violations from recurring, the HUPD has created a new system for the recording of reports and arrests related to sexual assault. The Police department deserves credit for its hasty response to the public's complaint, though they should not have needed a major incident to force compliance with state and federal law.

HUPD Chief Francis D. "Bud" Riley maintains that rumors about the HUPD's blotter omissions being intentional attempts to hide public information are simply not true. Regardless of their cause, however, the effect of these blotter omissions was the same: a lack of information provided to the public on criminal incidents that have a direct impact on the way we see our community.

Under the old system, police reports on sexual assault cases were tagged as "confidential" and were protected by a computer system from being entered into the police log. The omission of Elster's arrest from the blotter stemmed from an error in which the arrest was reported under the original confidential call and was therefore also kept out of the blotter.

Under the new system, announced on Feb. 9, reports on sexual assaults cannot be kept off the blotter. Confidentiality will still be maintained to ensure that victims are not afraid to come forward, but basic information about the receipt of such reports will be recorded in the log. A new position for an officer has also been created to ensure complete and accurate blotter reporting, and a new computer system capable of implementing these changes is scheduled to be installed in the fall.

Hopefully, the changes currently being implemented in the blotter system will not only ensure accurate and complete reporting of criminal activity, but also improve HUPD's reputation as a reliable and effective protector of our community. It may take time, but the public will be grateful.