Brown University Chief of Police Rodney Chatman has been put on administrative leave following the shooting at the Ivy League institution on Dec. 13, during which two people were killed with many more injured.
Chatman, who served as the vice president for public safety and emergency management, was relieved of his duties following an announcement by the university’s president on Monday.
“A thorough After-Action Review is an essential part of any recovery and response following a mass casualty event like the one that has devastated our campus. A review like this is standard,” Brown President Christina Paxson said via press release.
She also emphasized key security measures to be implemented immediately, based on lessons learned, and identified areas for improvement after the tragedy, including enhanced camera coverage and increased physical safety staffing.
The news of Chatman’s leave of absence shed light on his past positions, including his time as the former University of Utah police chief. At the end of 2020, Chatman was also put on administrative leave, and his tenure ultimately ended at the Utah campus in 2021. According to the Deseret News, Chatman was placed on leave after accusations that he had “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 ultimately found no sufficient evidence to charge Chatman. In June of 2021, he left the campus indefinitely, per KUER; however, his LinkedIn profile claims he worked at the University of Utah till 2023.
Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox, R-Ogden, who is chair of Utah’s School Security Task Force, called Chatman “‘totally unqualified,’ alleging he misrepresented his experience and was not properly certified,” on KUTV’s podcast, “Take 2.”
In a press release from the Department of Education, Secretary Linda McMahon said Brown University is under a program review to ensure the campus complies with specific campus safety and security requirements as a condition for receiving federal student aid.
“After two students were horrifically murdered at Brown University when a shooter opened fire in a campus building, the Department is initiating a review of Brown to determine if it has upheld its obligation under the law to vigilantly maintain campus security,” McMahon said. “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. The Trump Administration will fight to ensure that recipients of federal funding are vigorously protecting students’ safety and following security procedures as required under federal law.”