PROVIDENCE — The city approved an entertainment and alcohol license for a Brown University dance on Friday sponsored by a student arts association, after Police Chief Dean M. Esserman backed away from his opposition to university events earlier this week.

Esserman called for a hard line on future parties on campus after a Saturday night melee in which four people were arrested and three university officers were assaulted by party-goers. One group attempted to wrestle a gun from a university police officer.

A crowd of nearly 600 attended a university-approved party called “Scandalous” thrown by the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Brown University police called for assistance from Providence police at 1 a.m. after it struggled to break up a crowd outside Alumnae Hall, even after using pepper spray.

Esserman said Tuesday that he opposed anymore parties at Brown this year, but changed his mind Wednesday morning.

Police Lt. John Ryan, who commands the district covering College Hill, told the city licensing board that the department would not oppose Friday’s event, which is being organized by the Brown Art House, a student program dedicated to the promotion of the arts on campus and in Providence.

Ryan said that the police were satisfied that the event did not pose the same potential problems as the sorority party. Esserman, who was traveling yesterday, did not respond to a call for comment.

Brown University Deputy Police Chief Paul Shanley said that the Art House event was a significantly smaller event than the sorority party. In years past, the event usually did not reach the 125-person capacity of Harkness House, where it is held.

Only Brown and Rhode Island School of Design students would be allowed entry and all persons over 21 would have to wear bracelets and provide proper identification to be served alcohol. Additionally, the university would post a police officer inside, Shanley said.

“We’re being extra cautious to make sure that this event is well-managed,” Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life, said. “We have had the event in the past without issue. It is an event that we are comfortable bringing forward.”

The university’s response appeared to satisfy the city board, which approved the license unanimously.

Gordon Fox, vice chairman of the licensing board, said that it was important not to let one event on campus affect other scheduled functions. “One size does not fit all,” Fox said.

Marisa Quinn, vice president of student affairs for the university, said after the hearing that Brown police are conducting an “internal investigation” into the sorority party.

Neither Delta Sigma Theta, the sorority, nor any of the Brown students in attendance, have been disciplined by the school.

“It’s not clear if there were any problems with the organization of that night,” said Quinn.

With reports from

Amanda Milkovits

pmarcelo@projo.com