Brown appoints Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. police chief and VP for public safety, emergency management

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - Longtime law enforcement leader Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. has been appointed vice president for public safety and emergency management and chief of police at Brown University, effective April 8, 2026.

Nationally regarded for his expertise in community-oriented policing, Clements led a distinguished 38-year career with the Providence Police Department, including 12 years as chief of police, and directed the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) for the U.S. Department of Justice. At Brown, he will lead the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM), a fully functioning police department that patrols the Brown campus to protect safety, deter crime, build community relationships and respond to calls for assistance.

Serving as interim vice president for public safety and chief of police since Dec. 22, 2025, Clements has helped guide Brown toward becoming a secure campus defined by preparedness, vigilance and mutual care in the wake of a mass shooting on Dec. 13, 2025. In leading DPSEM, he succeeds Rodney Chatman, whose employment with the University ended effective this April 7, 2026, after five years of service.

Clements will report to Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah Latham. He will have a dotted line reporting to President Christina H. Paxson and serve as a member of the President's Cabinet, underscoring Brown's 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 the community.

Paxson and Latham shared news of Clements' appointment in an April 8 message to Brown students, faculty and staff.

"Chief Clements brings an extraordinary combination of Rhode Island law enforcement leadership, national policy experience and a deep commitment to community-centered policing that position him to effectively lead public safety efforts at Brown," Paxson and Latham wrote. "Over an accomplished four-decade career, he has consistently advanced innovative, data-driven strategies that build trust while enhancing safety."

As vice president and chief of police, Clements will be responsible for setting direction for University-wide initiatives that promote campus well-being, safety and security, while ensuring DPSEM services are delivered at the highest standards of professionalism, accountability and operational excellence. The role supports the physical safety of the campus community and university assets, strengthens institutional resilience, and is responsible for advancing business continuity in the face of known and emerging risks. The work includes preparedness, education, inspection programs and coordinated emergency response.

A central responsibility is serving as a visible and engaged leader across campus and within the Providence community, actively partnering with students, faculty and staff to build trust and strengthen relationships, while also collaborating closely with local, city, and state public safety partners. Through regular engagement, the leader in the role helps to identify opportunities to enhance policies, programs and practices that support a safe and welcoming campus environment.

Paxson and Latham wrote that in the months since joining Brown in an interim role, Clements has demonstrated his capacity and commitment to leading a modern campus safety department grounded in collaboration, transparency and service.

"As we continue to navigate toward a stronger, more resilient and sophisticated campus safety infrastructure, it's essential that we simultaneously ensure that Brown is still Brown, a teaching and learning community devoted to being a place where all can thrive," they wrote. "Chief Clements is well positioned to serve as a critical leadership voice as we work collectively to determine what it means to be a campus that effectively balances robust security measures with sustaining a welcoming community."

A commitment to building trust and engaging with the community

A Providence native, Clements began his public safety career as a night patrol officer in the Providence Police Department in 1985. Over the next 17 years, he rose through the ranks, working in Providence's Special Investigations Bureau and Detective Bureau, where he played active roles in multiple major investigations. He later served as deputy chief and acting chief and in 2012 was appointed the 37th chief of the department and promoted to the rank of colonel.

In his 12 years as chief, he implemented data-driven and community-oriented strategies to reduce crime, enhance trust and improve public safety in Rhode Island's capital city. He also partnered with local, state and federal agencies to address complex challenges such as opioid abuse, gang violence and civil unrest.

In his decades in Providence, Clements partnered with leaders from Brown's public safety department in circumstances ranging from preparation and training for potential emergencies to planning for major events, to responding to and investigating incidents that impacted the campus and its surrounding neighborhoods.

"For 38 years I worked in partnership with community leaders and residents across Providence to make my native city a safer and better place to live," Clements said. "The opportunity to do the same at Brown, leading public safety and emergency management for this extraordinary institution and community, is one I embrace with a pledge to ensure this campus is safe, secure and welcoming."

From 2023 to 2025, Clements supported the work of law enforcement agencies across the nation as director of the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office, which advances community-policing programs through grant funding and technical assistance to help local, state, tribal and territorial law enforcement keep their communities safe and build relationships of mutual trust and respect with the people they serve.

Among many accomplishments, he executed a relaunch of the office's Collaborative Reform Initiative, directed the critical incident review of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and advocated for national recruitment and retention resources before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

Clements said that since joining Brown in the aftermath of a deeply tragic event, he has endeavored to approach his role with a sense of responsibility, humility and resolve. Building on lessons from his four decades in law enforcement, his vision for public safety at Brown is one that is community-centered, proactive and grounded in best practices, modern technology and clear communication.

"Working toward Brown's goal of a safe and secure campus requires partnership across the entire Brown community," Clements said. "In my months as interim chief, I have been encouraged by the resilience of students, faculty and staff and the openness to working together to figure out the right paths forward. I look forward to advancing a thoughtful, forward-looking approach to public safety at Brown in the months and years to come."

Before his interim appointment at Brown, Clements served previously as a visiting fellow at the University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs from 2018 to 2023, sharing insights and best practices on policing and leadership with scholars, students and practitioners.

Clements is the recipient of numerous commendations for outstanding police work and devotion to duty over the course of his career. In his 38 years with the Providence Police, he was recognized with the department's Chief's Award three times and received letters of commendation from outside agencies including the FBI and the U.S. Attorney General's Office, among many other law enforcement agencies. During the tenure of President Barack Obama, Clements received the White House Champions of Change Award for Reducing Drug Use and Building a Healthier America.

He holds bachelor's degrees from Roger Williams University (administration of justice) and the University of Rhode Island (sociology) as well as a master's degree in criminal justice from Boston University. Clements also completed a flagship program certificate at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and holds a wide variety of law enforcement certifications.