Harvard auditors have launched an investigation of allegations that members of the Harvard University Police Department leadership improperly used their University-issued gas cards and vehicles.

The allegations, received through a confidential compliance hotline, regard events that occurred two years ago and were passed onto the University’s internal auditors, according to a joint statement issued by HUPD spokesman

Steven G. Catalano and University spokesman John D. Longbrake.
According to The Boston Globe, which first reported the allegations last week, HUPD Associate Director-Chief of Police Kevin Regan had misused his Harvard-issued gas card and vehicle in 2007 on a personal trip to South Dakota for a motorcycle rally.

In addition, HUPD Police Chief Francis “Bud” Riley had allegedly been using his HUPD cruiser on weekend trips to Vermont, where he, too, was misusing his Harvard-issued gas card, according to the Globe.

Catalano and Longbrake declined to comment further on the auditors’ review or the specifics of the allegations, but did write in the joint statement that “the use of take home HUPD vehicles for individuals who are on call 24 hours a day is authorized by the University and HUPD in order to best maintain the safety and security of the students, faculty, staff, and neighbors of campus.”

Regan declined to comment on the investigation, and Riley could not be reached for comment.

—Staff writer Marianna N. Tishchenko can be reached at mtishch@fas.harvard.edu.