A new lawsuit against Brown University has sparked debate about the secrecy of law enforcement at private colleges in the U.S.

Unlike municipal and other public police departments, private institutions often don't have to disclose arrest records or incident reports, despite having officers with authority to detain students.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island is challenging this by arguing that Brown’s police should comply with public records laws.

The ACLU represents two journalists denied access to arrest reports.

While some states require private campus police to follow public records laws, most do not.

Critics argue for more transparency, saying private campus police should be held to the same standards as public departments.

AP Video shot by Rodrique Ngowi.