University of Virginia Library

Black Claims Harassment,
Security Officer Demands ID

By Donn Kessler
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

A black high school student from
Charlottesville who is also employed at
Madison Hall and is an Upward Bound
student, charged Monday that he had
been harassed by University security
police.

Clarence Wells, a junior at Lane High
School, stated that he was leaving
Newcomb Hall to see a movie at James
Wilson Hall Saturday afternoon when he
was stopped by a security officer.

Mr. Wells claimed that the officer
stopped him and said, "Hey, boy, let me
see your ID." He explained the officer gave no
reason for stopping him and that he handed the
officer his Upward Bound identification card.

The student was asked if he wanted to
accompany the officer to the security office.
He claimed he refused to go with the officer
and finally sat down in refusal.

Mr. Wells then claimed that the officer said
he could go but that the policeman took his
identification card with him.

According to a Student Council investigator,
Mr. Wells claimed that this was the second time
he has been stopped for identification reasons
at the University. He had been stopped this
summer, he said, and had been taken to the
University Security office for over an hour.

Wade Bromwell, Director of University
Security, stated yesterday that he had "no
record of any University security officer being
involved" in the incident. He added that most
of the officers were at University Hall Saturday
afternoon because of the University basketball
game.

Mr. Bromwell also said that his department
and the Office of Student Affairs were
continuing to investigate the incident.

Robert Canevari, Dean of Students, stated
that a law student working with his department
was attempting to determine exactly what had
happened and that both the Office of Student
Affairs and the Department of Security were
trying to find out which officer was involved.

Saturday's incident was the latest report by
black students of harassment by University
security officers.