BOSTON--The most experienced security supervisor in the Harvard University Police Department this week said he had once been treated unfairly by department officials and criticized his bosses for allowing the current controversy over alleged discrimination in the guard unit to spin "out of control."

Interviewed in his home here, Andrew J. Parker, the department's lone Black supervisor, said he found the security office an unpleasant place to work. He said many of the problems in the security department began after Lt. Herschell Russell retired from managing the department five years ago, leaving Manager of Operations for Security Robert J. Dowling in control.

"We seem to have come into an atmosphere within the office where you don't want to go in," said Parker. "I don't know how it started and I don't know how it is going to end."

Dowling refused to comment yesterday, referring questions all questions to Police Chief Paul E. Johnson. Johnson was out of the office yesterday, and did not return a phone call yesterday.

Guards interviewed by The Crimson said Parker is the most popular supervisor. Department sources said Parker, unlike some guards who have charged harassment, has not been a disciplinary problem.

Parker was hired as a Harvard guard by Capt. George Walsh in 1978. Dowling promoted him to supervisor in 1984. His name was listed in the book, Who's Who in Law Enforcement, in 1983 and 1986.

Parker's comments are the first public statements by a management official that are critical of the department. Parker, who is on disability leave, said he worried about relations between security supervisors Donald P. Behenna and Thomas F. Henaghan, and the guards they supervise. He said he did not bring up his concerns with superiors because he did not think it was appropriate.

Behenna and Henaghan, who have been publicly charged with harassment by guards they supervised, are at the center of an investigation of the security department being conducted by General Counsel Margaret H. Marshall and former FBI Agent James A. Ring. Henaghan has denied the charges, and Behenna has refused to answer questions from The Crimson.

In the past year, nine former and current employees have charged they were discriminated against by department management. Police and University officials--including Dowling and Johnson--have denied the charges.

Parker said Dowling had reprimanded both supervisors in an attempt to stem guard complaints.

"There were reprimands," said Parker. "Whether that was enough, I don't know."

Parker also said he believed the department had treated him unfairly in the awarding of shifts. He said that he did not know what the motives for the alleged discrimination had been, but that he had written Police Chief Paul E. Johnson on the matter on July 27, 1990.

In Parker's letter to the chief, which was obtained by The Crimson and confirmed by Parker, the supervisor said he had to wait five years to receive weekends off, and then had them off only for a four-month period.

In the letter, Parker said the other four security supervisors had to wait less than a year for weekends off, and they got evenings off, too, while Parker had to work nights. Security supervisor Emmanuel Mango waited less than six months for free Saturdays and Sundays.

And in the same letter, Parker suggested there as favoritism toward Henaghan, a guard who was promoted to supervisor in 1989 just six months after he was initially hired.

"Prior to schedule assignment, Tom Henaghan had stated verbally that he couldn't work his present shift," Parker wrote. "If there is no change he would have to resign. Is it just a coincidence that I am now assign (sic) to work Tom Henaghan's swing shift and he is scheduled to work days with Saturday and Sunday off?"