PROVIDENCE – Brown University's new interim vice president for public safety outlined
sweeping security enhancements Tuesday following the mass shooting last month that killed two students and injured nine others on campus.
Hugh T. Clements Jr., in his first public communication since
stepping in for Rodney Chatman, who has been placed on administrative leave, detailed immediate and long-term safety improvements in response to the Dec. 13 shooting that claimed the lives of students Ella Cook and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov.
"What happened on Dec. 13 should never happen again — at Brown or anywhere — and we must confront that imperative for our community with steadfast purpose," Clements wrote in a letter to the university community.
The school's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management will maintain heightened visibility across campus through additional officers in academic buildings, residential areas and at events. Security staffing will increase in phases aligned with campus operations, including the Jan. 6 end of administrative winter break and the Jan. 21 start of spring semester.
Buildings will continue requiring card access, keys or university IDs for entry.
Several infrastructure projects are being accelerated for completion before spring 2026, including transitioning remaining key-access buildings to card access systems, expanding blue light emergency phones with integrated cameras, installing additional security cameras in key locations and expanding panic buttons in critical areas.
The university also announced enhanced coordination with local agencies and regional mental health resources, improved emergency communication systems and reinforced crime prevention messaging.
Brown is commissioning two external reviews through firms selected by the university. An after-action review will examine security preparedness surrounding the December incident and the emergency response that followed. A comprehensive campus safety assessment will evaluate all security systems, policies and practices while incorporating community input.
The university plans to offer new safety training and active-shooter preparedness programs during spring semester using trauma-informed approaches.
Clements emphasized the university seeks to create "a campus defined by preparedness, vigilance and mutual care" rather than one defined by fear.
University President Christina Paxson announced the security initiatives Dec. 22, pledging meaningful opportunities for students, faculty and staff to provide feedback on campus safety measures.
Suspected shooter Claudio Neves Valente, 48, also suspected of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, was a former Brown student and Portuguese national. He was found dead Dec. 18 at a New Hampshire storage facility from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
The incident has prompted questions about the strength of Brown's safety systems. Clements, a former Providence police chief, acknowledged those concerns, stating his commitment is "about responsibility, learning and improvement.
"Rebuilding trust takes time, and it begins with consistency and truth," Clements wrote. "You have my promise that I will lead with integrity, transparency and an unwavering focus on your safety and well-being."
