"A lot of people with more command experience and higher rank...applied for the job at Harvard," said Boston Lt. Detective Richard C. Cox in a 1993 interview. "I happen to be privy to the fact that after Paul's interview at Harvard, they basically stopped looking."

But Johnson's honeymoon with Harvard didn't last long. Several months after he assumed the post, he faced thefirst in what was to be a long string ofaccusations against members of his force forracial harassment.

Among the lowlights of his tenure were a 1985incident in which police apprehended students whowere protesting a South African speaker in LowellHouse.

Students filed 19 complaints of policebrutality; not a single one was found by thepolice and the administration to have any merit.

Four years later, Harvard police stopped ashuttle bus and wrongly accused two Black studentsof shoplifting. The incident sparked ademonstration by 250 faculty, administrators andstudents.

And over the past three years, 11 current orformer security guards have come forward withcharges of racial discrimination within the unit.

The chief has responded to most of the chargesby asking how he, as a Black man, could tolerateracism in his department.

Johnson's retirement announcement has drawn amixed reaction.

"It's no secret that most of us thought he wasa lousy chief, but I think most people havenothing but good wishes to give him as heretires," one veteran sergeant said this week. "Hehad a long career in policing, doing particularlygood work for Boston [police] during 27 yearsthere."

Other underlings, however, were less criticalof Johnson's time at Harvard.

"It's a shame to see him go; he's a great guy,"said security guard Ron F. Matthews. "He's done alot for the University, even though some peoplemight not think so."

Most top Harvard cops, including Rooney andMurphy, were busy dealing with yesterday'sshootings in the Square and could not be reachedfor comment about Johnson's retirement