Word: gorski
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Three years ago, the union had reason for concern. Former police chief David L. Gorski put a freeze on hiring for the three years he was at Harvard, an action the union interpreted as an administration attempt to reduce the size of the police force through attrition. Though the threat of a reduction in the size of uniformed police officers still remains, the administration has taken steps to instill confidence in the force...
...Gorski resigned under pressure form the dissatisfied police; after a one year search the administration hired Saul L. Chafin betting that a change in the leadership would make the changes in the department more palatable. The odds seem to have played in its favor. Though Chafin has made questionable decisions in firing three men since he became number one, he has also taken pains to replace them so as to avoid any charges of intentional reductions in the force...
...which sees its base steadily eroding. Neither watchman nor security guards are members of the union. At the same time, the union demand for more equitable promotions within the department has backfired, weakening its position still further. Before the last contract negotiations, the police charged that the few times Gorski promoted officers he chose them arbitrarily. The union contended that the lack of equity, internal communication and job security had severely damaged police morale, and demanded that the University correct the situation before it renegotiated a contract...
Despite what Chafin calls his "incremental changes," the police still suffer from the radical changes ushered in by Gorski. Many of the officers are understandably wary about the shift to the more professional image, and nostalgically refer to the days when they could fight crime without relying on computer printouts. Their persistent dissatisfaction with the new system--responding to crime determined by problem areas the computer identifies--stems from errors in the data feeding process. When a robbery that occurred at Winthrop House at 2 a.m. wasn't reported to the police until 5 p.m. the next day, the computer...
...that the incidence of property and violent crime on Harvard property has declined significantly. And there have been other changes, as well. New leadership and increased input into the decision-making system have eased the pentup tension of the policeman who last year, still recuperating from the David L. Gorski and Steven Hall administration, claimed morale was at an all-time...