“We Do Not Work Through the News Media to Address Community Questions,” Brown University

Brown University has a decision to make. Like many universities facing complex public-safety questions, Brown is filtering that decision through academic discourse — a process that often yields shades of gray rather than a clear outcome, and as many opinions as there are voices weighing in.

At issue is whether Brown will accept an invitation from the Providence Police Department to participate in the city’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). The system allows participating institutions to share security camera feeds and other data with police in real time.

The offer was extended following the devastating shooting on Brown’s campus several months ago that left two students dead and approximately nine others injured. In the aftermath, questions emerged about the university’s security infrastructure — including whether there were cameras in or near the building where the shooting occurred.

Providence police, who responded to the scene and led the investigation, offered RTCC participation as a way to improve response times, deter crime, and provide first-hand information during emergencies — both large-scale incidents and smaller, routine events.

ACLU urges Brown to reject camera sharing

While Brown was on winter break and taking immediate steps to enhance campus security, the longer-term question of RTCC participation remained under review. The ACLU of Rhode Island, joined by the ACLU’s Brown campus chapter, publicly urged the university to decline the offer.

In a letter to Brown President Christina Paxson, the ACLU cited “serious privacy concerns” and warned that sharing camera access with the RTCC “poses a substantial risk to your students, staff, faculty, and visitors in the absence of sufficient protections for privacy and accountability.”

The letter raised concerns that campus footage could be used to monitor free speech activities or facilitate immigration enforcement actions. It referenced prior litigation involving the revocation of F-1 visas for students at local institutions, including Brown, and argued that expanded surveillance access could increase the risk of targeted federal actions.

The ACLU sent similar letters to other Providence-based colleges and universities that were approached by police following the Brown shooting.

The ACLU letters:

In addition to this letter, one was sent to Providence Mayor Smiley – and to Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez:

Brown pushes back on public questioning

Brown University has not responded to RINewsToday’s questions about whether it will join the RTCC. The university issued the following statement to NBC10:

“We do not work through the news media to address community questions or concerns — rather, we value direct engagement, and any response we might offer would come directly to the ACLU representatives.”

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Brown Daily Herald student newspaper

The Brown Daily Herald reported on a faculty meeting where concerns about increased security were discussed.

“I would like us to make sure that when we think of security, we think about it in a holistic manner,” said Nadje Al-Ali, professor of international studies, anthropology, and Middle East studies. She warned that increased security presence does not always generate safety and can lead to “very scary” interactions for the broader community.

“When people go to an academic seminar, they shouldn’t feel like they’re going through TSA to board an international flight,” Paxson said.

Katie Biello, chair of Brown’s epidemiology department, questioned whether proposed security changes would meaningfully reduce violence and urged the university to consider broader societal impacts.

“This is part of our history,” Paxson said. “It’s going to shape how we think about ourselves, how we act, how we balance openness with security, and how we support and protect the well-being of all members of our community.”

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Providence Police responds to ACLU urging Brown not to participate

Providence police responded to the ACLU’s concerns, emphasizing that RTCC participation is voluntary and that partners retain control over what footage is shared. Police said the RTCC does not conduct 24/7 live surveillance, includes data-retention limits and auditing, and is used only for active criminal incidents or public-safety emergencies. The department said the system has helped solve crimes and provided critical situational awareness, including during the Brown shooting.

“We take concerns about privacy and civil liberties seriously and want to be clear about how camera technology is used in Providence. Participation in the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) system is entirely voluntary, with community partners having full control over what video feeds are shared and access is granted only with consent.

The RTCC does not conduct 24/7 live surveillance of the community, complies with all local, state and federal laws and includes strict oversight policies, data retention limits and usage auditing to prevent misuse. Shared footage is used only to respond to active criminal incidents or public safety emergencies, ensuring public safety while maintaining transparency and accountability to the community.

Since it’s launch, the RTCC has been instrumental in helping solve crimes, provide public safety officials with real time awareness during difficult situations and obtain information critical to investigations, including the tragic events at Brown University.

We recognize that safety initiatives must be balanced with strong privacy protections, transparency, and accountability and we remain committed to protecting both public safety and the rights of our community.”

More information on the RTCC is here: https://ppd.providenceri.gov/help-keep-providence-safe/

As we understand it, Brown has still not made a decision on participating with the Real Time Crime Center of the Providence Police Department. Johnson & Wales is tied into the RTCC at the Providence Police Department. RISD says it works closely with the police department.

This is a developing story