Assault Charges Filed Against SSI Guard

A Harvard senior yesterday filed charges against a Security Systems Inc. (SSI) guard for allegedly assaulting her in the laundry room of 20 DeWolfe.

Accompanied by two Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) detectives, Jesse S. Downs '00-'01 registered her version of the events with a Middlesex County District Court clerk.

In the statement, Downs said she entered the first-floor laundry room around 11 p.m. on March 23 to finish cleaning her clothes.

DeWolfe security guard Errol Allen appeared behind her, grabbed her upper left arm, then stumbled around in front of her, she said in her statement.

Then, she alleged, Allen stammered something "unintelligible" and she turned and walked away.

Downs' complaint reports Allen's eyes were "extremely" bloodshot--and the guard could not walk straight.

In her report, she said she believed he was under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.

In an interview with The Crimson, Downs said, "Part of the reason I filed the report was I thought he was abusing substances while on the job."

She said her suspicion stems from an earlier conversation she had with Allen around 5 p.m. that evening--when nothing seemed awry.

"He was completely lucid," she said. "It was a very normal conversation."

Though Downs said the incident happened on Mar. 23, she said she did not file a police report that night because she was due to leave for spring break early the next morning.

After discussing the incident with friends, she contacted police on April 4.

By pressing charges against Allen, Downs said she wasn't seeking vengeance.

"It was more the threat of what might happen [to another student] in the future," she said.

All SSI guards have to clear a background check before being allowed to work for the companies who contract with SSI.

"All the precautions that could've been taken have been taken," said Francis D. "Bud" Riley, HUPD's chief.

Aside from a few incidents, Riley said he is pleased with the SSI guards' performance.

"[Allen's incident] doesn't necessarily reflect on the company," Riley said.

That said, University officials released few details of the complaint or their reaction to it.

"Regardless of his employment status with SSI, he will not be allowed to work at Harvard again," HUPD spokesperson Peggy A. McNamara said.

The court will process Downs' complaint, and serve Allen with a time and date to be arraigned in Middlesex District Court later this month.

Allen could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Officials at SSI did not respond to a request for comment.