by Shannon Kelly ’26 on February 12, 2026
News
On Friday, Feb. 6, I interviewed chief of public safety Chad Carnegie. We discussed the new renovations to the Public Safety office and initiatives that are being worked on, and I got a tour of the new building, which is now located on the St. Joseph’s side of Raymond Hall. The Chief explained that their facility includes a roll call room, emergency operations center, kitchen, and separate men’s and women’s locker rooms. Chief Carnegie previously worked at Georgetown University for 11 years at the college police department. He came to Providence College in 2022 and, “likes a challenge to not be stagnant.” We discussed his upbringing and the Chief told me that he was raised in Florida, where he also worked as a police officer.
We discussed the difference in pace in comparison to being a police officer and working on a college campus. Chief Carnegie explained that the college campus atmosphere is slower compared to being a police officer. When asked about community initiatives, Chief Carnegie explained that the Office of Public Safety prioritizes caring for the students. He said that the office seeks to show that they do not just care about students when they’re at their worst, but wants to be a supporting presence in their everyday lives too. He said that recently, Public Safety handed out 150 pizzas to students on and off campus to foster connections. In November, Public Safety hosted an event with donuts and coffee in hopes to engage in conversation with students, as well as faculty.
Afterwards, I asked Chief Carnegie about any changes in Public Safety that he has noticed during his time here. He said that he has amazing officers and a deep appreciation for the department as a whole. He emphasized that he is “striving to make it the best it can be” and that working towards greatness has become the culture at Public Safety during his time here. He explained that he was proud of the work that is being done and that it is not just him, it’s everybody else in the department. Chief Carnegie also divulged that he just presented on emergency management to Student Congress, the Board of Trustees, and parents on the leadership board.
The tragic Brown University shooting was also mentioned during our conversation, and Chief Carnegie told me that as many students have now noticed, the doors to main buildings are now closed on the weekends. He said that there is a lot going on behind the scenes right now following the shooting at Brown to ensure that our campus is prepared and can respond effectively to an emergency. He told me that the 900+ cameras on campus are being audited, the gate entrances are being looked at, and policies regarding locking doors in classrooms are also a topic of discussion.
The last question I asked Chief Carnegie had to do with any advice pertaining to safety that he might offer to Providence College community members. The Chief told me that situational awareness is key and we must be thinking about what is going on around us. He emphasized that Public Safety is here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and that they are a resource for all. Chief Carnegie ended with expressing his gratitude to Father Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G, Dean of Students Steven Sears, and John Sweeney for their efforts in support of the new Public Safety building. He encouraged people to reach out, have fun, enjoy their time here, and always remember that “we’re all Friars.”