The Harvard Police administrator who handled several recent controversies at the embattled department will soon change jobs.

Brian D. Sinclair '62, who is assistant director for finance and administration in the department, will become associate director for finance and administration in the University's human resources office, Human Resources Director Diane Patrick said last night.

Sinclair was not in the office yesterday and did not return a phone call to his home.

"Mr. Sinclair has been in the University for a number of years and in a number of different capacities," said Vice President and General Counsel Margaret H. Marshall, who oversees the police department. "I believe that his new position will be beneficial both to him and the Harvard community."

Sinclair was a key player in the year-long controversy over allegations of on-the-job discrimination against Harvard security guards by their supervisors. Sinclair frequently defended the department's conduct to the guards, and a union steward at one point charged him with condoning a "pattern of retaliation" against employees who made discrimination charges.

A report released by Marshall last summer cleared the department of the charges. But Sinclair quickly became embroiled in the contentious contract negotiations between the police officers' union and the University. Harvard's officers have been working without a contract for 18 months.

Despite the controversies, police officers and security guards generally give credit to Sinclair for keeping the lines of communication open between different factions in the department.

Patrick said she interviewed "several" candidates from outside and inside Harvard for the human resources job, and Sinclair emerged as the strongest.

"The police department is very sad to be losing him," Marshall said. "But his new position is one in which he will be able to use his capacity fully."

Wendy M. Seltzer contributed to the reporting of this story.