Police Chief Paul E. Johnson confirmed yesterday that his department will review a University police officer's account of a confrontation between the officer and security supervisor Donald P. Behenna, who has previously been accused of harassing University security guards.

Officer Alex Kortus reported in a letter delivered to Johnson last week that Behenna berated him last month, according to a source in the police department.

The charge is the latest in a series of accusations against Behenna, who has previously been cleared of charges that he racially harassed security guards he supervises.

The source said he was not sure what had prompted the dispute, but that it may have centered on how the department should process a student identification card seized in the field.

Johnson, questioned outside his office yesterday about the incident, said "That will be handled internally." Johnson, who has not returned phone calls made over the past two months, said he would make no further comment on the guard unit because "I don't get a fair shake from you."

Behenna has refused to answer any questions from The Crimson. He did not return a phone call yesterday.

Kortus last week refused to confirm or denywhether the incident had occurred. He referred allquestions to Johnson.

Lt. John E. Stanton, Kortus's watch commander,this week confirmed the existence of a letter, butalso referred The Crimson's questions to Johnson.

"I have to refer all questions to the chief onthe incident in the letter," Stanton said.

Last month, security guard Mark Martin chargedin another letter to the chief that Behennaberated him and repeatedly poked him in the chestlast month.

One source with knowledge of that incidentcalled Behenna's behavior towards Martin "aneruption" that "shocked everyone who was there."Martin has refused to comment on the letter or theincident.

Kortus's allegation surfaces as General CounselMargaret H. Marshall completes her first month onthe job.

President Neil L. Rudenstine has asked Marshallto look into charges that Behenna and anothersecurity supervisor harassed guards, and Marshallsaid last month that she would move with"deliberate caution" to do just that.

Last spring, three former and current minorityguards said Behenna harassed them because of theirrace. And in October, Frances C. Ugwuegbu, a Blackstudent at the Graduate School of Education, saidshe was verbally abused by the supervisor when sheworked as a dispatcher for the escort service. Shetermed the incident "definitely racial."

University officials--including Johnson, formerGeneral Counsel Daniel Steiner '54, Director ofHuman Resources Diane Patrick and Manager ofOperations for Security Robert J. Dowling--havedenied previous allegations that Behenna harassedemployees.

An investigation conducted by Steiner's officelast spring also cleared Behenna, although severalof the guards who made accusations have said theinquiry was incomplete because they were notinterviewed.

In addition, documents obtained by The Crimsonshow that Behenna, a guard from 1980 to 1984, hada history of disciplinary problems before he waspromoted to supervisor in 1984