SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah Police Chief Rodney Chatman, on the job for just over a year, resigned Tuesday and will take a new position at Brown University.
Hired in Feb. 2020 to shore up the department following the murder of student Lauren McCluskey, Chatman immediately faced accusations of being improperly certified and trained to work as a police officer in Utah. While under investigation in December, Chatman was placed on administrative leave.
Although Chatman was cleared of any wrongdoing following the months-long investigation, the school still asked for him to resign or be fired. Administrators said they had received a possible legal complaint over the release of an investigation that found an officer showed co-workers explicit photos that McCluskey had submitted as evidence before she was killed on campus.
Chatman's attorneyclaimed her client was being treated as a "scapegoat" and denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Brown University announced Tuesday that Chatman has been appointed the school's vice president for campus safety.
“As we continue to assess and strengthen campus safety practices amid the critical national debate around policing and justice, we are set to welcome a truly accomplished leader who is ideally positioned to guide this work at Brown,” said University President Christina H. Paxson. “Chief Chatman will bring not only an outstanding track record in law enforcement, but also the values, skills and experiences that will enable him to effectively engage our full community in advancing safety on campus in every aspect.”
