Lawsuit against Brown University sparks debate on campus police secrecy at private colleges

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The public safety department at Brown University, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Kimberlee Kruesi)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A new lawsuit against Brown University has renewed questions surrounding the secrecy afforded many law enforcement officers employed by private colleges and universities across the U.S.

Unlike public campuses, private higher education institutions are largely exempt from disclosing arrest records, incident reports and other documents even as they employ officers who have the authority to detain students, as well as, in some cases, use force. This lack of transparency has long raised objections from watchdog groups and open government advocates who say such records are critical to holding law enforcement accountable.

In a recently filed lega