Faces of Brown: Det. Daniel Nuey

by Dionne Montgomery

It comes as no surprise to find a dedicated police officer speaking passionately about his mission to serve and protect the members of the Brown community.

What is surprising is hearing one say he's not doing enough to ensure that.

"It's hard to tell someone in a desperate situation that you cannot help them," said Daniel Nuey, a detective in Brown's Police and Security Services. "We sometimes feel our hands are tied," he said, referring to the University decision to not arm its police officers. "I wish I could do more."

After hearing friends boast about what a great place Brown was to work, Nuey decided further investigation was needed. He learned of an opening in Police and Security Services, collared the job, and has been seen on the premises ever since. He started as a security guard in 1994, graduated from the Police Academy in 1996 and worked on patrol for five years before becoming a detective last June.

Nuey is enrolled in a Bureau of Criminal Investigation training course at the University of Rhode Island, where he is studying fingerprinting, crime scene analysis and photography. The two-semester eight-credit course is required of all detectives and can be applied toward a degree program.

Following a law enforcement career track was a decision Nuey made early on. He earned an associate's degree in liberal arts from the Community College of Rhode Island and a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Roger Williams University.

As is the case at many large universities, most investigations performed at Brown by the detective unit look into robberies, larcenies, harassing phone calls, auto break-ins and bike thefts.

"There have been some calls involving violence that we are not allowed to pursue, which is very tough because we know the area very well and can respond quicker," said Nuey. "We collaborate with other officials, but we must follow procedure and notify Providence Police first. Because we have such an excellent relationship with the Providence Police Department, things are working very well." 

Nuey says he is happy in his role as detective for the University. "My wife jokes that this is the perfect job for me because I have to know everything," he said. "I'd have to agree."