DPS News

Campus Community Invited to Grand Opening of New DPS Substation on Mar. 29

The Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) new substation at 101 Marshall Street will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, March 29. DPS invites campus community members to stop by from noon-1 p.m. to tour the new facility, enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks, and chat with DPS officials to learn more about safety strategies and available resources.

DPS will also be offering $20 food vouchers to the first 44 students who stop by the event and have the Orange Safe app downloaded.

“This new space allows DPS to enhance our coverage in an area that not only serves our campus community but also visitors and alumni,” says Craig Stone, DPS chief and associate vice president. “I am looking forward to greater engagement with our campus community and welcoming students, faculty and staff to our new space on Friday.”

The hours of operation through the end of the spring semester are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. The substation will have extended hours of 10 a.m.-3 a.m. on Thursday and Friday and 6 p.m.-3 a.m. on Saturday. It will be closed on Sunday.

Last year, the University initiated the establishment of the substation at the corner of Marshall Street and South Crouse Avenue. With the Sheraton Hotel and 727 Crouse being converted into student housing, it was vital for DPS to increase its footprint in the area to provide a visible presence to serve the campus community.

Marshall Street is one of the highest-traffic areas surrounding campus, and in addition to the new student housing projects, there are numerous restaurants, bars and shops that bring many visitors and alumni to the area.

DPS provides round-the-clock protection to the Syracuse University campus. Through various patrol and crime prevention efforts, DPS partners with students, faculty and staff to identify, recognize and eliminate crime hazards and risks within the campus community.

DPS Campus Peace Officer Academy Officially Underway

Nine new recruits were sworn into the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) Campus Peace Officer Academy on March 21 by Syracuse Police First Deputy Chief Richard Shoff. Collaborating with the Syracuse Police Department on the swearing-in ceremony serves as an official welcome and endorsement of the joint law enforcement efforts in the University area, and to provide these campus peace officers with the authority to enforce New York State law and local ordinances upon completion of the academy. 

The recruits sworn into this academy class are: 

  • Thomas Bingham 
  • Kit Diana 
  • Donovan Green 
  • Keyatta Green 
  • Teng Kiir 
  • Sean McCaffery 
  • Delana Thomas 
  • Barrington Wallace 
  • Liam Welling 

The nine individuals listed above are training to become Syracuse University campus peace officers. One additional recruit, Jay Kreis, is joining this peace officer academy and will be heading to Onondaga Community College upon completion. 

“We are excited to welcome this group of recruits and work with them over the next several months,” said Sgt. Adam Wheeler, academy director. This is now the eighth time that the Department of Public Safety has held its own peace officer academy. 

During the academy, these recruits will be subject to technical, physical, classroom and field-based tests. Upon successful completion of the academy, graduates progress to field training with their respective field training officers for an additional 12 to 14 weeks. 

Craig Stone, associate vice president and chief of the Department of Public Safety, addressed the friends and families of the recruits. “We are excited to welcome new members to our team and all of them have prior customer service experience. They will assist us in keeping the campus community safe and increasing community engagement with our students as we strive to obtain advanced CALEA accreditation,” he said. 

The University’s Department of Public Safety provides round-the-clock protection to the Syracuse University campus. Through various patrol and crime prevention efforts, DPS partners with students, faculty, and staff to identify, recognize and eliminate crime hazards and risks within the campus community. 

Community Police Academy Graduates Largest Ever Class

On March 6, 33 members of the campus community graduated from the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Community Police Academy (CPA). The 33 graduates are nearly double the 17 that graduated from the Fall 2023 CPA.

The CPA is a free four-week program designed to give students, faculty and staff an idea of what it is like to protect and serve the campus community. During their time in the program, participants learned from guest presenters, including certified instructors from DPS, Syracuse Police and Syracuse University Ambulance.

The CPA wrapped up with a ceremony where the graduates were presented with CPA graduation certificate from Craig Stone, DPS chief and associate vice president. “The CPA is vital in our efforts to engage with and build trust with our campus community,” says Stone. “We nearly doubled the number of graduates from our previous CPA. It is a testament to the hard work of our instructors for developing, obtaining feedback from graduates, and improving a program that continues to gain momentum within our community.”

Officer George Wazen, coordinator of the CPA, is thankful the campus community has embraced the program with such enthusiasm.

“To see the excitement around the CPA continue to grow each semester is inspiring for us as instructors. To have this forum to host members of our community and learn from each other is invaluable to us at DPS,” says Wazen. Finding ways to innovate and have an interactive curriculum is paramount. “Thanks to feedback from our graduates we are already evaluating how to evolve the program in the future,” he says.

Dates for the next CPA during the Fall 2024 semester are in the process of being finalized. To learn more about the program, visit dps.syr.edu and follow DPS on social media (@syracusedps) for updates.

Public Safety Informational Notice: Preparing Residences for Spring Break

As spring break approaches many of you will depart our campus during the next couple of days. The Department of Public Safety is reminding the University community to take the necessary steps to protect your residences and belongings before you leave.

For those of you who live on campus, please take the following steps to secure your space:

  • Secure doors and windows.
  • Close all curtains/blinds.
  • Make sure to lock your door.
  • Unplug all electrical items, except refrigerators.
  • Do not give your keys out.
  • Mark/engrave all items of value and keep a record including serial numbers.
  • Do not leave credit cards, checkbooks, cash or other valuables readily accessible; these can be taken and used by a thief before you know they are gone.

If you live off campus, please:

  • Make your residence appear occupied; consider buying a timer that automatically turns on interior and exterior lights at a predetermined time, or when there is motion.
  • Be sure your outdoor lighting is working and sufficient.
  • Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
  • Take anything valuable home with you, i.e. laptop computer, video game console, jewelry, etc.
  • Do not leave any valuable items near windows. Take pictures of anything valuable and ensure that you have installed tracking software and documented the serial numbers of all electronic devices.
  • Unplug all electrical items, except your refrigerator and timers.
  • If you have a security alarm, make sure you turn it on when leaving.
  • If you see anything suspicious, for on-campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app or for off-campus, call the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111.

While many members of our community will be traveling during the break, many will remain here on campus. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is always working and available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you observe anything concerning. As always, our recommended safety strategies can be found on our website.

Wishing you all safe travels and a restful spring break.

February 2024 Updates From the Department of Public Safety

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

I can hardly believe we are nearing the midway point of the spring semester. As we head into spring break, all of us at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) would like to wish those of you departing campus safe travels. We look forward to welcoming you back and finishing the semester off strong!

In today’s message, I will address the following topics:

  • Awareness of Threats Online
  • Community Police Academy Graduation
  • DPS Social Media
  • Employee of the Month – January 2024
  • Preparing Residences for Spring Break
  • Monthly Bias Update

Awareness of Threats Online

DPS has seen an increase in online crimes and scams. We would like to remind our campus community to be wary of any online activity that asks for personal information, payment, etc. Do not hesitate to contact us if you see or receive something suspicious.

Phishing scams disguised as account termination warnings, job offers or requests for help circulate among the University community from time to time. Please remember that Information Technology Services (ITS) will never ask for your password or multi-factor authentication code. Any communication asking for this type of information should be deleted. You can learn more by visiting the ITS Phish Bowl.

Community Police Academy Graduation

I am pleased to share that our fourth and largest Community Police Academy (CPA) officially wrapped up this week. This iteration of the CPA saw 33 members of our campus community graduate from the program. The CPA is an excellent way to continue to build trust with our community. It has given participants an idea of what it’s like to protect and serve at Syracuse University.

We have been happy to collaborate with and welcome guests from the Syracuse Police Department and Syracuse University Ambulance throughout the CPA. If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website.

DPS Social Media

Our DPS team is always looking for opportunities to engage with our campus community. I encourage all of you to follow us on social media to stay up to date on the exciting things we have planned. We are on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn. On top of that, you will be the first to know when we have upcoming events or important news to share.

Employee of the Month – January 2024

I am pleased to announce that Assistant Manager Brian O’Hara of Fire and Life Safety Services and Officer Simon Stikkel were selected as our January 2024 Employees of the Month!

O’Hara was honored for his role in providing lifesaving efforts to an individual who suffered a medical event during a Syracuse University men’s basketball game. Stikkel was also honored for his efforts in quickly recovering stolen DPS property. Congratulations to them both!

Preparing Residences for Spring Break

As many of you plan to depart campus for spring break, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you to take necessary action to protect your residences, offices, cubicle spaces and belongings. Please review our recommended safety strategiesabout how to secure your spaces.

While many community members are heading elsewhere, some will remain around campus. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is always working and available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 315.443.2224 if you observe anything concerning.

Monthly Bias Update

There are no new updates to share. As a reminder, if we do have additional updates, we will update the chart on our website and share any developments in this monthly email.

It is also never too late to come forward with information. You can call DPS at 315.443.2224 or submit information anonymously via the Silent Witness tool. In addition, to report a bias incident or to receive support, visit the STOP Bias website.

Go Orange!

Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety
Student Experience Division

Public Safety Informational Notice: FALSE Bomb Threat Reported at Maxwell, Confirmed to be FALSE

Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received FALSE report of a bomb threat at Maxwell Hall at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 16. We determined this report to be false following a quick response from DPS and Syracuse Police Department (SPD) and an urgent review of all available video footage around the area. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are investigating who is responsible for making this false report, as well as the false reports we received last earlier this week. If you have any information, please contact DPS or local police. We recognize these incidents have sparked concerns among members of our community, as always, counseling services are available to students through the Barnes Center and to faculty and staff through Carebridge.

How DPS Communicates in the Event of an Imminent Threat to Public Safety

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Over the last 24 hours, our community has experienced two swatting incidents targeting Maxwell and Eggers Halls. Swatting is when an anonymous caller makes an intentionally false report of the presence of an active shooter to stoke fear among the targeted communities. They have increased in prevalence in recent years and often target schools, colleges and universities. I appreciate these calls can be traumatic for members of our community and can create fear and panic.

We take all these reports seriously and investigate fully. Despite both of these incidents being swatting calls, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) will maintain increased patrols at Maxwell and Eggers Halls. DPS is also in contact with the FBI and local law enforcement as the investigation into who made these calls continues.

Given these recent incidents, I wanted to write this afternoon to remind you about DPS protocols for responding to reported threats and how we communicate them to our community.

How we respond to reported threats

When we learn of claims of an active shooter situation that lack immediate credibility (no additional calls to 911, security footage showing no abnormal behavior, etc.) on campus, our DPS officers immediately respond to the report’s location where they work swiftly to confirm the veracity of the report. When responding to these reports, DPS officers will appear on the scene as they would in the event of a confirmed threat. For example, they will respond in significant numbers so you will likely observe multiple officers on foot and several patrol cars. The officers will respond, in many cases, with their weapons drawn as is standard law enforcement protocol. The officers will conduct a canvas of the scene and once the threat is discredited, it is then that DPS will communicate broadly with our campus community.

How we communicate about confirmed and discredited threats

In the event of a confirmed active shooter situation, you will receive immediate communications from DPS via the Orange Alert System. Orange Alert provides rapid notification and instructions to Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, faculty and staff. Orange Alert will communicate what the threat is and what, if any, action community members should take to as a result. If you haven’t, I urge you to review our Run. Hide. Fight. video, which explains in detail how the University responds to active shooter threats. Review the video on the DPS website.

We reserve the use of this system for situations where there is an active or imminent threat of physical danger to our campus community. That is because when you receive an Orange Alert, we need you to know to take immediate action as directed. Orange Alert will leverage the following communications methods:

  • email;
  • text messaging;
  • social media networks;
  • cell/landline phone calls to send a brief notice about the incident and instructions about what actions to take; and
  • sirens that sound on North Campus and South Campus.

After an Orange Alert message is broadcasted, more detailed follow-up information will be provided until it is determined the threat has been eliminated.

Please note: There is a scheduled test of the Orange Alert system on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 1:55 p.m. More information regarding this test will be sent in an additional email.

Sign up for Orange Alerts in MySlice

To receive the emergency communications, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to log in to MySlice to ensure their contact information for Orange Alert is up to date. It is important to note that to receive text message notifications your cell phone number must be designated as a mobile device.

My colleagues and I are always available to discuss our processes, protocols and how we collaborate with local, state and federal law enforcement to keep our campus community safe. Finally, remember that the Department of Public Safety is here for you 24/7 by calling 315.443.2224 or by connecting on the Orange Safe app.

Sincerely,

Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety
Student Experience Division