Brown University announced that its vice president for public safety and chief of police, Rodney Chatman, has been placed on administrative leave while the university orders an external after-action review and ramps up security ahead of the new semester.
Brown confirmed the administrative leave on Monday following a fatal shooting that killed two students, saying the decision took place more than a week after the incident. Campus leaders say they are pursuing multiple reviews and immediate security steps while new interim leadership takes over daily operations.
“Vice President for Public Safety and Emergency Management Rodney Chatman will be on administrative leave, effective immediately,” the university said. That announcement came alongside a pledge to bring in outside experts to examine what went wrong before, during, and after the shooting.
The university said an externally led after-action review will evaluate campus safety in the period leading up to the tragedy, assess preparedness and response on the date of the shooting, and examine emergency management in the aftermath. Administrators described the review as standard practice but framed it as a necessary step to restore confidence and learn lessons that can be applied quickly.
Brown also said it would deploy a rapid response team to boost security measures ahead of the new semester and carry out an on-site physical security assessment. That evaluation will focus on the perimeter of buildings, access points, cameras, technology, and other infrastructure conditions that affect the campus footprint and the ability to detect and deter threats.
As the university prepares to tighten procedures, it will build on work already underway to enhance security immediately. Officials emphasize that short-term measures and long-term policy changes will need to work together to make the campus safer for students, faculty, and staff.
Former Providence Chief of Police Hugh T. Clements will serve in both of Chatman’s former roles in the interim. The school named Clements to step into the vacancies while the outside review proceeds and while administrators review structural and operational decisions tied to the campus safety apparatus.
“Chief Clements is nationally regarded for his expertise in community-oriented policing, having served as director of the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for the U.S. Department of Justice,” Brown’s President Christina Paxson said in a statement. “This underscores our commitment to clear accountability, leadership continuity and a sustained focus on campus safety at a time when safety is a critical part of healing and recovery for our community.”
University sources say the choice of a leader with federal experience is intended to stabilize operations and reassure families and students who have been shaken by the violence. Interim leadership will be tasked with coordinating the immediate security response, communicating updates, and facilitating the external review team’s access to records and personnel.
Campus officials have not detailed a timeline for the external review or when its findings will be released, but they have said the assessment will be comprehensive. The scope is intended to cover policies, training, technology, and the coordination between campus public safety and local law enforcement during critical moments.
The decision to place the public safety chief on leave follows public pressure and questions about how quickly the university acted before and after the shooting. Community members and families have demanded transparency and concrete steps to prevent future tragedies, and the administration faces scrutiny for the pace and completeness of its response.
Brown’s combined approach — an outside after-action review, immediate security upgrades, and an interim leader with federal policing experience — is framed as a mix of accountability and practical action. Officials say these moves aim to ensure a safer campus environment while the university deals with the legal and emotional fallout from the deaths of two students.
It has taken the university more than a week since the fatal shooting of two students to come to the decision to suspend Chatman. Campus leaders now say they will move forward with the assessments and interim arrangements while continuing outreach and support for the community affected by the tragedy.
