Cops and Dogs Protect the Prince

Harvard spared no effort to ensure the safe passage of Charles, Prince of Wales, off campus yesterday, closing a three-block stretch of Mass. Ave., lining it with 60 policemen, and assembling a 20-vehicle security motorcade for the royal guest's minute-long drive up Quincy St.

The Prince came and went without a hitch, but two bomb scares several hours after his 10 a.m. Foundation Day convocation sent officers scurrying in a fruitless search of the Harvard Square MBTA stop. Police were unsure whether the scares were related to Prince Charles's visit, but they were apparently not directed at the Prince himself, said Cambridge Police Detective Richard Gardiner.

After the 20-minute speech, Charles was shuttled in a silver Rolls Royce flanked by bodyguards in Jaguars from a Widener Library luncheon to a symposium on the future of the city held at the Graduate School of Design.

A crowd of 200 onlookers--many of whom dashed from Widener nearly in time to greet Charles on arrival at the GSD--got a close look at the extraordinarily tight security that blanketed the campus yesterday.

Less noticeable than the police surrounding the royal entourage, but no less pervasive, were bomb-sniffing dogs, anti-sniper riflemen, and a host of security agents ranging from Harvard's own to Britain's Scotland Yard, all of whom guarded the British throne's heir apparent during his day-long visit.

Shortly before the Prince's arrival on campus yesterday morning, police completed an intensive sweep of buildings bordering Tercentenary Theater, including a six-hour-long search through Widener Library. During the ceremony, security officials scanned the Yard from a discreet command post in Sever Hall. They were aided by dozens of agents in the crowd, a SWAT team, and sharpshooters posted in nearby buildings.

Citing security reasons, police declined to state exactly how many agents were involved in protecting the Prince.

Though the precautions for Prince Charles' visit stemmed in part from fears of a terrorist attack by supporters of the lrish Republican Army, no arrests or security problems were reported. "It's nice when it's like this," said a Boston Police officer. "I've been with [Prince Charles] since he came in at Logan, and there hasn't been any sign of [the IRA]."

Harvard will take similar security measures for today's visit by Secretary of State George P. Shultz, said Harvard Police Chief Paul E. Johnson.