The first-year lauds HUPD for treating himcourteously.

"They helped me out a lot," he said, "[but theFDO was] just looking for a way to punish me fromthe start."

Although HUPD officers collected the studentfrom a sidewalk in Cambridge proper, ACCRA wouldrequire them to collect statistics on these typesof nebulous incidents--situations where HUPD has,in practice, wide discretion about how to classifythe incidents.

Riley said his officers are aware of thejurisdiction they are allowed to police and saidthat Cambridge police officers routinely allowHUPD to handle matters involving Harvard studentseven off University property.

Originally, it was a Harvard police officer whostumbled upon the three varsity rowers recentlydisciplined for throwing rocks off a roofadjoining the AD final club on Mass. Ave.

When Cambridge police arrived, they quicklytransferred matters over to HUPD, including theauthority to make an arrest.

The three students were not arrested, althoughHUPD filed a report with county prosecutors aboutthe incident.

Riley says he gives his officers wide latitudewhen dealing with students.

"If our officer decides that he's not going toprosecute for that particular [incident] and hedecides that the administrative action done by theAd Board is proper, fine by me," Riley said.

Safe Harvard

Although it has increased in the nationalconsciousness in recent years, partly as a resultof alcohol-related crimes, FBI statistics showthat colleges are as safe now as they ever were.

As more and more U.S. teenagers prepare to goto college, campus crime has followed the nationaltrend, dropping significantly in all federallyrecorded categories.

DOE studies show that only one student out of1,000 is a victim of a violent crime during theirfour years at school.

Harvard follows the national trend, with pettycrimes such as stolen wallets and bicycles toppingthe published statistics.

Violent crimes are rarer still, with thecollege reporting six or fewer sexual assaultseach year.