Harvard University Police will provide around-the-clock protection for Radcliffe starting Oct. 17, Radcliffe officials announced yesterday.

A squad of patrolmen and police cars will patrol the Radcliffe Quadrangle, Yard, and Graduate Center, Robert Tonis, chief of the University Police, said last night. The number of men to be assigned to Radcliffe has not yet been decided.

At present Radcliffe's only protection comes from night watchmen, who are not permitted to carry guns. Their duties include checking signout books, making sure dormitory doors are locked, and watching for prowlers.

The night watchmen cannot deal with prowlers themselves, but must call the Cambridge Police to arrest them. A Cambridge patrolman has always been stationed at Radcliffe.

Radios Helped

The first step toward police protection for Radcliffe was taken last spring when walkie-talkies permitted the watchmen to call in the University Police. Negotiations were carried on this summer between Radcliffe and Harvard to have the University Police extend their protection to Radcliffe.

The remaining night watchmen will continue their present duties inside the dormitories while the University Police will patrol the grounds.

A nightwatchman claimed last night that the coverage of Radcliffe would not be as good after the University Police take over as it has been in the past.

He said that although the Harvard police carry guns while the Radcliffe nightwatchmen do not, both groups are constables and can make arrests. There will, he added, be fewer watchmen to patrol inside dormitories after the change.

J. Boyd Britton, administrative vice-president of Radcliffe, said that the University Police will provide better protection because they are police and carry guns, while the nightwatchmen have no way to detain a prowler.