PROVIDENCE — Brown University announced Monday its police chief has been placed on leave as the investigation into the Dec. 13 mass shooting continues.
Rodney Chatman, who also served as the Vice President for Public Safety and Emergency Management, is on administrative leave, effective immediately, as the school conducts an after-action review of the incident, Brown President Christina Paxson wrote.
“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,” said Paxson.
RELATED: Suspect in Brown University and MIT Shootings Found Dead After Intense Manhunt
Hugh Clements, former chief of police of the Providence Police Department, will serve as interim vice president for Public Safety and chief of police while Chatman is on leave.
After leaving Providence, Clements was named director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for the U.S. Department of Justice, WPRI reports. He stepped down earlier this year and has been working as a security consultant.
Brown University Police Union Previously Issued No Confidence Vote in Police Chief
Back in August, union members who are employed with Brown University’s police department passed a vote of no confidence in Chatman and Deputy Chief John Vinson. The union has cited a lack of transparency and a culture of fear as major issues within the department.
A significant point of contention involves orders from Chatman and Vinson establishing a traffic ticket quota, which is prohibited by Rhode Island law, reports the Providence Journal. The union also highlights issues such as restricted paid time off for officers involved in field training and the resulting fatigue and burnout due to high turnover rates. Brown Executive Vice President Sarah Latham previously stated that the department experienced the highest turnover rate within the university.
The union’s concerns extend to allegations of a toxic work environment and retaliation against members who file grievances. Reports from 2021 and 2023 indicate that the department was slow to notify Providence police about significant threats, leading to accusations of a “coverup culture.”
Additionally, an investigation by The Brown Daily Herald uncovered the use of sexist, misogynistic, and homophobic rhetoric within the department, with male employees reportedly making derogatory remarks about female colleagues and questioning the masculinity of a gay officer.
Brown University Police Chief Previously Investigated by University of Utah
Chatman was also placed on administrative leave while he was police chief at the University of Utah, KUTV reports. Chatman was hired by the school in Jan. 2020 to replace Dale Brophy. Brophy resigned amid criticism over the murder of student Lauren McCluskey.
McCluskey, a twenty-one-year-old student-athlete, was shot and killed on campus by her ex-boyfriend, Melvin Rowland. She was found dead in a parked car and Rowland was found dead at a local church. An independent review of the murder found that campus police (UUPS) were understaffed and not properly trained in handling domestic violence cases, which led to her death.
RELATED: Palestinian Brown University Student Falsely Accused in Shooting
Chatman was placed on administrative leave in Dec. 2020 after allegations he impersonated a peace officer by beginning work without certification from Utah’s Peace Officer Standards and Training board.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office later found insufficient evidence to file charges, noting the university knew Chatman was not Utah-certified when he was hired and that he met the legal definition of a police officer. Chatman then sued the school alleging retaliation. A judge did not rule in his favor and Chatman left the university in June 2021 while still on administrative leave.
