And with University officials like Johnson, Sinclair, Patrick and Steiner no longer talking about the controversy, the war of words--both public and private--between the two men has emerged at the center of the controversy.
The rift between these two men who may have once been friends is indicative of a department that by all accounts is badly divided over these complaints of discrimination. Dowling has said "untold damage" has been done to the unit because of the public complaints.
"If the integrity of the unit is challenged, it makes it tough down the road when something happens," McCombe said.
This week, two key players in the controversy over charges of discrimination in the Harvard security guard unit came forward with the most detailed public statements on the treatment of guards by supervisors. They may once have been friends, but one, an eight-year veteran of the force and a union steward, has now charged the other with being involved in...
'THESE PEOPLE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.' Robert J. Dowling, Manager of Operations for Security
'THE REASON I GOT INVOLVED WAS MY DUTY AS A UNION STEWARD. AS A GUARD, I THINK TRUTH AND JUSTICE ARE IMPORTANT. IN A POLICE UNIT, YOU EITHER HAVE THAT OR YOU HAVE ANARCHY.' Stephen G. McCombe, security guard