Redoubled efforts by the Department of Public Safety and Providence Police Department are bringing an increased police presence to campus, according to a campus-wide e-mail sent Tuesday night by Vice President of Campus Life and Student Services David Greene and Vice President for Administration Walter Hunter.
Both the number of patrols and the level of support from plainclothes officers and detectives will be upped as a result of a meeting between DPS and PPD leaders Tuesday.
These efforts come after weeks of increased police presence in response to a rash of muggings and assaults on and near campus.
In the most recent assault, a female Brown student was mugged on Williams Street at approximately 7:05 p.m. Monday night, according to an e-mail sent by the Department of Public Safety. The victim was not injured and her attacker was not apprehended.
The robber approached the victim near the intersection of Williams and Governor streets, carrying what appeared to be a long-barreled weapon tucked under his right arm. After taking the student's handbag and cell phone, the robber was seen entering the passenger side of a beige vehicle with unknown plates, according to the e-mail. The police were unable to confirm whether the object was actually a weapon, and at no point was it actually pointed at the victim.
The e-mail described the perpetrator as "possibly a light skinned Hispanic male" who was wearing a light-colored T-shirt, baggy pants and hoop earrings. He was 5'5" with black hair slicked back and long sideburns.
Though the Monday crime has not been solved, PPD has arrested several suspects in conjunction with earlier crimes and through interrogation has determined that the crimes are unrelated, according to a campus-wide e-mail sent by Hunter on Friday. In that e-mail, Hunter also wrote that DPS and PPD have both taken steps to increase the number of officers patrolling the campus and surrounding area, and that DPS is currently working with the Department of Facilities Management to discuss improving the lighting in certain areas.
