The assault of a Singapore police officer in front of Peabody Terrace Friday night has prompted residents and police to reexamine the safety of the Harvard-owned apartments.

Tan Puay Kern, a Mason Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, was attacked by three men around 6:30 p.m. Friday while returning to his apartment, according to police reports.

"I was walking along the basketball courts and three men were approaching me," Tan said. "One guy punched me, and I squatted down with my umbrella for protection."

The other two assailants kicked him in the face, Tan said.

Tan fled the scene and was not pursued. He was taken by ambulance to Cambridge Hospital, according to Harvard Police Lt. Lawrence J. Murphy, and transferred to Mass. Eye & Ear Infirmary. He received seven stitches and treatment for a blood clot in his right eye.

Tan, who now is wearing a bandage over his right eye, said last night he had difficulty reading because of the medication he was using to treat the blood clot.

The attack was unprovoked and no suspects have been found, according to Murphy. Nothing was stolen in the incident.

"It appears to have occurred completely randomly, for no real reason," Murphy said yesterday.

Tan said his nationality was not a factor in the attack.

"They didn't care that I was from Singapore," he said. "This could have happened to anyone walking down the street."

Concerned Residents

That fear prompted more than 40 Peabody residents to meet with police and Harvard Real Estate (HRE) officials last night to discuss prevention of future attacks.

Murphy and University Provost Albert Carnesale met with residents Monday to discuss similar concerns.

"We wanted to get ideas for improving our security program, because we need a multi-faceted approach," said HRE president Kristen S. Demong.

The residents, most of whom are foreign graduate students, proposed a series of security measures.

"We want security to be stepped up to the level it is in the undergraduate houses," one resident said.