Anticipating a media crush after news he would be taking a medical leave, Harvard police officers were stationed outside President Neil L. Rudenstine's yellow mansion on Elmwood St. in Cambridge yesterday afternoon.

Rudenstine wasn't taking questions yesterday, and police prevented a reporter from approaching the front door. Harvard Police Sgt. Kathleen Stanford sat in the passenger's seat of an unmarked blue Crown Victoria which was parked in Rudenstine's driveway. A male officer, apparently a detective, sat in the driver's seat.

"We've been assigned here most of the day, since late morning," Stanford said. "There are a couple of detectives with us. "There's sufficient manpower here to secure the privacy of the Rudenstines."

Asked what she'd been told, Stanford said she knew there was a press conference, but didn't know why.

Asked how long the police detail would be around, Stanford said: "I can't say for sure."

"We don't want the Rudenstines disturbed by anyone they haven't personally invited," she said.

The sergeant said there was no pre-approved list of people who would be allowed to enter a house. Stanford said that protecting the home of an individual is not the primary function of Harvard police investigation such as her, but that detectives are deployed on such details from time to time.

"It's not our primary function," Stanford said, "but [we do it] if somebody feels they need to have detectives to secure their privacy."

At about 4:50 p.m., a marked HUPD car drove into Rudenstine's driveway. Stanford jumped in the car and drove away. The unmarked car moved into the street.

Ten minutes later, a blue van from the Brattle Square Florists drove up to the curb closest to Rudenstine's home. The driver, who did not give his name, said that he was delivering a dozen red roses for "Neil." He said he gave the flowers to a woman with shortest Grey hair who was probably in her 40s or 50s. The exchange took "two seconds," the driver said.

Rudenstine's neighbors were surprised by the announcement. Most said that although they like him personally, they don't have much contact with him.

"He's running a university," said one neighbor, speaking on condition that his name not be used. "He probably doesn't have the time [to schmooze with neighbors]."

Todd F. Braunstein contributed to the reporting of this story.