Brown is deeply committed to the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The safety and security of the Brown community is not only a priority, but at the heart of the University’s core institutional values that affirm that the University “holds itself responsible for generating the conditions necessary for every individual member of its community to thrive.” We recognize that a secure campus is vital to fulfilling our mission of education and research, and to providing all members of our community with a sense of security and belonging as they pursue knowledge in service to society. The University’s goal is a secure campus defined by preparedness, vigilance, and mutual care. Brown’s Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management remains committed to being community-centered, proactive, and grounded in best practices, modern technology, and clear communication.

Brown University’s Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM) is a fully functioning police department that serves the Brown community year-round, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, patrolling the campus to deter crime, develop community relations, and respond to calls for service and assistance. The department’s mission emphasizes crime prevention, problem solving, and joint officer-community responsibility, while maintaining our historic openness to, and engagement with, the Providence community Brown calls home. 

Brown’s public safety officers include sworn police officers who are specially trained and certified to meet both professional policing standards and the unique needs of a university setting, as well as non-sworn safety staff who provide essential layers of support complementing the work of sworn officers. This ranges from campus building security to community assistance. Brown’s sworn officers are Rhode Island state-certified graduates of a police academy, licensed as Special Police Officers with the authority to maintain safety on and around the Brown campus and enforce the laws of the state of Rhode Island and the ordinances of the City of Providence. 

DPSEM works in close partnership with the Providence Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in both preparing for and responding to incidents. DPSEM hosts training exercises, including for hostile intruder situations, on the Brown campus with external partners, and provides educational opportunities such as executive-level leadership courses for law enforcement supervisors.

Please review the Brown DPSEM website for additional safety information and resources.

Hugh T. Clements, former chief of police of the Providence Police Department, serves as the vice president for public safety and emergency management and chief of police at Brown. Chief Clements is nationally recognized for his expertise in community-oriented policing, having served as director of the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for the U.S. Department of Justice. He is also a former member of the Brown community, having served as a visiting fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs from 2018 to 2023. 

Brown maintains policies for access to Brown-operated buildings with the goal of balancing security requirements with the need for members of the Brown community, as well as alumni and other visitors, to make use of the campus. Please use the Building Access Controls page as an ongoing resource for up-to-date information about building access controls.

For roughly the past 15 years, dating back to 2012, Brown has invested heavily in video cameras as a central part of its safety and security plan. Cameras may serve as a powerful visual deterrent to crime and can provide crucial support for rapid investigative follow-up.

The University has increased the total number of security cameras on campus from approximately 380 in 2012 to 1,942 as of August 2026, and more installations are underway. As part of this work, Brown is implementing a plan to upgrade blue light phones to include embedded camera technology, which was approved in 2025. The total number of security cameras on campus is projected to be approximately 2,000 cameras by the start of the Fall 2026 semester.

Over the course of the spring and summer of 2026, security cameras were added at buildings that met criteria for hosting sensitive research, housing critical infrastructure or hosting large members of the public, including Barus and Holley, and at points of ingress and egress of residence halls. Brown does not disclose the exact location of security cameras because doing so can undermine security goals. 

A comprehensive Security Camera Oversight and Recording Retention Policy finalized in early August is designed to protect privacy without compromising the value of security cameras in protecting safety and security. The policy establishes the principles that govern the placement and use of security cameras on campus, including College Hill and the Jewelry District. It also sets forth standards for the retention of data recorded by security cameras. 

A new Safety and Security Steering Committee launched in July 2026 has responsibility for maintaining campus-wide standards for video coverage and a streamlined process for assessing requests for additional coverage, as well as making recommendations for replacement of cameras with improved technology over time. 

Brown’s comprehensive shuttle and safety escort services support secure movement around campus, particularly during evening and overnight hours. For information concerning the operation of the Brown University Shuttle (BUS), please check the Transportation website or call 401-863-3157. Students may also use the following two services, both of which are free and coordinated through DPSEM:

• Brown onCall Shuttle, which provides transportation to and from areas in the onCall service area not accommodated by the Brown Evening Shuttle route after 7 p.m. (5 p.m. after daylight saving time ends in November)
• Safewalk, a student-staffed walking escort program

Equipping campus community members with the training needed to respond in the event of a safety threat remains a top priority for Brown, along with maintaining best practices for campus security. There are several safety programs and a range of courses offered through the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM), including a situational awareness course and hostile intruder response training. In addition to these courses, units may request tailored training through the Engagement/Program Request Form. Several additional resources are available on the BrownReady website and as part of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP), which provides web-based training, along with guidance for a variety of emergencies and crises. 

We ask all community members to take advantage of a range of tools and resources to stay safe: 

Sign up for RAVE BrownAlerts. During critical events, Brown uses this system to deliver instructions to students, faculty, staff, and others via phone, text, and email. We ask that all students, faculty, and staff confirm that their contact information is up to date in the RAVE BrownAlert system to ensure they receive timely emergency notifications via phone, text, and email. Brown faculty, staff, and students can access the Office of Information Technology (OIT) help page for more guidance on updating contact information.

Any member of the greater community — including, for example, parents and family of Brown students, or members of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) community — who would like to opt in to receive BrownAlert updates should text BrownEmergencyList (as one word, no spaces) to 67283. If an individual unsubscribes from receiving RAVE alerts from Brown, only the individual who unsubscribed themself can renew their own subscription. We recognize that there may be limitations due to international service providers or country-specific restrictions; additional information for international service is included in the question in this FAQ, “I have an international number. Will I be able to receive RAVE alerts in an emergency?”

Download the RAVE Brown Guardian App. All students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to download and use the RAVE Brown Guardian app, which allows the user to send a personal safety alert directly to Brown’s Department of Public Safety and enables GPS location sharing so officers can respond quickly if assistance is needed. This also can be used to directly or anonymously submit real-time tips about criminal behavior or any issue of safety concern. 

Visit the BrownReady website. The BrownReady website reflects emergency preparedness guidance written by experts to keep college and university campuses safe, including information about programs, emergency communication systems, training, and response.

Monitor the Brown University Emergency Information website. Brown’s Emergency Information website is the official source for information from the University about emergencies affecting campus. In the event of an emergency, the site will be updated continually with information about the nature of the emergency, how to remain safe, and the status of campus operations. 

Members of the Brown community play an important role in keeping the community secure. This includes being responsive to alerts and reporting any public safety or security concerns. If a Brown community member is unsure whether a security concern warrants a call, they should call DPSEM to allow the department to assess and determine any appropriate action.

• Call to report concerns: It is vital that all members of the Brown community fully understand the mechanisms for reporting public safety and security concerns. These numbers should be saved on personal devices or kept readily accessible:
  • Emergency Police, Fire, Medical Response (24-hour): Call the Brown Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management (DPSEM) at 401-863-4111
  • Non-Emergencies and Safety Concerns: Call 401-863-3322 or email campus_safety@brown.edu
  • For Accessibility Options: Text 401-863-4111
     
• Use the RAVE Brown Guardian App: A GPS-enabled button allows students, faculty, and staff to contact DPSEM. This can be used to submit tips about criminal behavior, contact public safety if assistance is needed, or allow emergency responders to locate users quickly and dispatch help in an emergency.
   
• Use the outdoor emergency phones/blue lights on campus: There are approximately 150 outdoor phones located on or near the exterior of all residence halls and most University buildings. Outdoor emergency phones are housed in gray or yellow enclosures and have a blue light in or near the enclosure. These phones have a direct speed-calling button (marked in red) with an automatic identifier so that the DPSEM Communications Officer will know the caller’s location when the call is answered. More information on the locations and operation of these blue-light phones is available on the Blue-Light Phones page of the DPSEM website.

If a Brown community member is unsure whether a security concern warrants a call, it is best to call public safety to allow the department to assess and determine any appropriate action. 

Members of the campus community should confirm that their contact information is up to date in the RAVE BrownAlert system.  For guidance on how to update their information, faculty, staff and students can access the Office of Information Technology (OIT) help page. If at any time an individual has unsubscribed from receiving RAVE alerts from Brown, only the individual who unsubscribed themself can renew their own subscription.

Parents or family members who individually opt in temporarily for a specific event — such as Commencement, Parent & Family Weekend, or Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs — will not receive ongoing alerts in an emergency, as those opt-ins automatically expire after the event concludes. To receive notifications in perpetuity, text BrownEmergencyList (as one word, no spaces) to 67283. If at any time an individual has unsubscribed from receiving RAVE alerts from Brown, only the individual who unsubscribed themself can renew their own subscription.

With international phone numbers, please note that there may be limitations due to international service providers or country-specific restrictions:

• Recommendations for International Students and Families: For international students — including Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs students — we recommend that students use a U.S. phone number while on campus. This may be a U.S.-issued phone or an unlocked phone with a U.S. SIM card.
  
  If there are no restrictions on possessing a foreign phone in the student or family’s home country, one option is for the student to:
  • obtain an inexpensive U.S. phone;
  • opt that number into the RAVE system; and
  • share the phone with their parent or family member for emergency notifications.
• International Phone Numbers and Limitations: Individuals traveling or located outside the United States may encounter limitations based on their home country’s regulations and/or their international service provider. While some international numbers are able to opt in successfully, others may not receive alerts due to country-specific restrictions on texting or calling.
  
  For example, some countries limit or regulate international SMS messaging. In certain cases, messages may need to meet specific requirements (such as language restrictions), or international texting to and from the U.S. may be blocked entirely by the service provider. These limitations are outside of Brown’s control.

• How to Opt In with an International Number: When opting in with an international phone number, individuals should enter:

  • A plus sign (+),
  • Followed by the country code,
  • Any required regional or area codes,
  • And the full phone number
  • Do not include spaces, dashes, or punctuation (other than the plus sign).

  Example (United Kingdom):
  If the country code is 44, the regional code is 1, the exchange is 173, and the individual number is 123555, the correct format would be: +440173123555.
  
  If families experience difficulty opting in or have questions about their specific situation, they are encouraged to contact family@brown.edu for assistance.