PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The police union at Brown University has raised serious allegations against the leadership of its campus police department, accusing it of fostering a toxic workplace culture and a pervasive atmosphere of fear.
The union, representing 10 campus police sergeants, has expressed deep concerns regarding the management practices of Police Chief Rodney Chatman and Deputy Chief John Vinson, culminating in a vote of no confidence in their leadership.
Brown University Police Allegations: Toxic Workplace Issues and Union Concerns
In August, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 863, representing the sergeants, formally issued a vote of no confidence in Chief Chatman and Deputy Chief Vinson. The union has cited a lack of transparency and a culture of fear as major issues within the department.
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John Rossi, a national union representative, has been mediating between the union and Brown University administrators. He notes that union members are hesitant to speak publicly due to fear of job-related retaliation. This climate of fear has been compounded by multiple federal Unfair Labor Practice charges filed over alleged wrongful terminations and coerced resignations.
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. Steve Brown, executive director of the ACLU of Rhode Island says it often forces officers to create violations. “It’s a very dangerous method of policing,” he says.
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. According to Brown Executive Vice President Sarah Latham, the department currently experiences the highest turnover rate within the university.
Union Alleges Workplace Retaliation and Culture Issues
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.
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Brown University initiated an investigation into the department’s workplace culture last April, facing several changes in leadership of the probe. Initially, Deputy Chief Vinson was involved in the investigation, despite past leadership critiques during his tenure at the University of Washington, where he was described as “coercive” and “micro-managing.”
The university has since appointed CriticalArc, a security software company, to lead the investigation. However, concerns have arisen regarding potential conflicts of interest due to connections between Chatman and CriticalArc, reports the Brown Daily Herald. The union is calling for the Rhode Island State Police to conduct an independent, transparent investigation.
Legal Challenges for Brown University Police and Community Accountability in Campus Policing
The ACLU of Rhode Island has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two journalists against Brown University, arguing that the campus police should comply with the Access to Public Records Act (APRA). This lawsuit highlights ongoing challenges in obtaining public records from the university’s police department, which has so far denied requests for arrest reports, a position supported by the state attorney general’s office.
Critics of armed campus police forces emphasize the difficulty in assessing police conduct due to limited data release from universities. They advocate for accountability measures such as civilian review boards and stronger community partnerships.
