Four years ago, with a Cambridge licensing board official by his side, an officer made the rounds at the Grille. Riley says it hasn't happened again.

In Cambridge proper, it is not often clear where HUPD's jurisdiction ends and the Cambridge Police Department's jurisdiction begins.

Absent clear guidelines about the status of private college police agencies operating in municipal areas, Harvard administrators are often left to define the depth and breadth of the department's authority. They must judge whether HUPD should police private property such as the final clubs, student organizations like the Lampoon or even frequent student haunts like The Crimson Sports Grille.

At the same time, administrators do not work alone. HUPD hashes out jurisdictional details with municipal police departments.

In an interview, Riley said he has standing instructions from the Dean of the College's office not to police the final clubs, but on occasion HUPD will intervene when Harvard administrators perceive a clear interest in HUPD doing so.

Policing the clubs more aggressively "would depend on whether the deans of the College itself recognized that it was a place that they assumed responsibility for," Riley said.

Several years ago, recalls HUPD officer Louis Favreaux, unruly students threw beer bottles on the doorstep of then-Lowell House Master William H. Bossert '59.