When longtime Harvard University Police Chief Francis D. “Bud” Riley retired in 2020, he left behind a department roiled by allegations of racism, sexism, and favoritism — part of a toxic work environment some current and former officers alleged he created.
Now, two years after Riley’s departure, with a new police chief in place, just three members of his senior leadership team remain on the department’s command staff.
Since Victor A. Clay took over as HUPD’s new chief in July, the department’s leadership has undergone a series of sweeping changes. Of the seven senior staff members at the time of Clay’s arrival, four have been reassigned to other divisions or left the school entirely, according to archives of the department’s website. Three new members have since been promoted to the senior leadership team, which has been restructured to include one fewer member and renamed to command staff.
HUPD’s longtime deputy chief, Kevin W. Regan, who was second-in-command for years under Riley, left the department in February. Scott Simas, Robert Harrington, and Wilmon D. Chipman — formerly members of the senior staff team — were reassigned to serve as the department’s watch commanders.
Two new senior roles — assistant chief and captain — were established in December, according to HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano.
“Since his arrival at the Harvard University Police Department, Chief Clay has prioritized an analysis and consideration of the structure of the Department and its leadership to address organizational needs and to increase operational effectiveness,” Catalano wrote on Thursday.
“These internal changes are a part of Chief Clay’s ongoing efforts to meet Department, community and University priorities related to the role of public safety on campus, as well as to ensure both internal and external accountability,” he added.
Following Riley’s departure, Regan stayed on as deputy chief under Denis Downing, who served as the department’s interim leader. After Clay was appointed, Downing and Regan served as deputy chiefs, but in December, the roles were replaced with an assistant chief position that is now held solely by Downing.
Regan — who began at HUPD in 1998, according to his LinkedIn, two years after Riley — has since joined the Boston office of the Burger Law Group.
Read the full article in The Harvard Crimson.