Former Providence police chief hired to lead Brown campus safety

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University has hired former Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements to oversee the school’s public safety operations following the deadly shootings that shook the campus.

Clements, who retired from the Providence Police Department in January 2023 after nearly four decades of service, has been appointed interim vice president of public safety. He served as the department’s colonel for 12 years and is widely regarded as a leader in community-oriented policing.

After leaving Providence police, Clements was named director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). He stepped down earlier this year and has since worked as a security consultant. Sources say Brown reached out to him within days of the shooting.

Brown President Christina Paxson announced Monday that the university placed the current vice president of public safety, Rodney Chatman, on administrative leave effective immediately. Paxson said Clements will report directly to her.

“Chief Clements is nationally regarded for his expertise in community-oriented policing,” Paxson wrote to the Brown community, noting that he previously served as a visiting fellow at Brown’s Watson Institute from 2018 to 2023. She said the move is meant to ensure accountability, leadership continuity, and a sustained focus on campus safety during a time of healing.

The leadership change comes as the Trump administration has opened an investigation into Brown’s security protocols, examining whether the university complied with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, which is tied to federal student aid.

“Students deserve to feel safe at school, and every university across this nation must protect their students and be equipped with adequate resources to aid law enforcement,” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.

Brown University is alleged to have repeatedly downplayed security issues over several years, disregarding concerns raised by students, employees, and law enforcement officials.