Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through the fall semester! I have a lot of important information I would like to share this month, including:
- South Campus Community Center Grand Opening
- Lock Your Doors and Windows
- Department of Public Safety (DPS) Jurisdiction
- Patrols in Near-Campus Neighborhoods
- Monthly Bias Update
South Campus Community Center Grand Opening
This afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m., we are having our grand opening of our South Campus Community Center located at 121 Small Road, Apt. 8. As a reminder, the idea for the space stems from Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s recommendations as a place where students can drop in and share their questions and concerns with members of our department. We are also looking to plan fun events at this location! Please stop by this afternoon to visit the new space, get some treats (no tricks this Halloween weekend) and visit with some therapy dogs. We look forward to welcoming you!
DPS Jurisdiction
In the recent town hall that I attended hosted by the Student Association, several questions arose about the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety. Our officers may exercise law enforcement authority only while on duty and only while acting within the scope of the employment with DPS and only within the Syracuse campus proper and any other properties owned, controlled or administrated by the University, as well as the streets and sidewalks adjacent to and connecting such properties. A map of our jurisdiction is available on our website, along with additional information.
Patrols in Near-Campus Neighborhoods
I also wanted to share information about our patrols. In addition to our normal three patrol shifts, we have special patrols that focus on areas on and around campus, including:
- University Area Crime-control Team (UACT)
This patrol is staffed jointly by the DPS and the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) in the immediate off-campus and fraternity/sorority neighborhoods focused on robbery and burglary suppression. - Neighborhood Safety Patrol (NSP)
The University formed the Neighborhood Safety Patrol program in response to student safety concerns and quality of life issues brought to our attention by residents of the neighborhoods bordering the eastern edge of our campus. This program is a partnership between the residents, the University and the SPD.The DPS designates one or two patrol units to respond to incidents involving Syracuse University students that occur in the patrol area. When necessary, DPS officers will document student violations of the law and the Syracuse University Code of Student Conduct. DPS officers will respond at the request of the SPD officers assigned to the Neighborhood Patrol. DPS also patrols the east neighborhoods, reporting safety issues and suspicious incidents directly to the SPD.
- Orange Watch
Orange Watch is a DPS program that provides an expanded DPS presence in key areas on North and South campuses and in the neighborhoods north and east of campus.The program expands DPS peace officers’ hours of armed walking, bicycle and vehicle patrol coverage. It supplements DPS’ and other law enforcement agencies’ current activities in areas frequented by students, faculty and staff.Orange Watch officers are on patrol throughout the year, with increased presence between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. and on weekend—times when students have the most serious concerns about safety.
Further details about each of these patrols are available on our website.
Please Lock Your Doors and Windows
I know I touched on this last month, but I cannot stress enough the importance of locking the windows and doors to your residence. As you may have seen in our public safety informational notice on Tuesday, the alleged burglars have entered properties through suspected unlocked windows and doors. We have not seen any incidents where forced entry has occurred. We also want to stress the importance of storing valuable items, including the keys to your vehicle, in secure places and lock interior doors when you are out. If you have further questions about this, we will be featuring this topic during our new free ask Friday feature next week on our Instagram.
Monthly Bias Update
Since my communication last month, I have no new updates to share on the status of our investigations. As we do have updates, we will update our chart on the 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 and submit information anonymously via the Silent Witness tool or the Rave Guardian mobile app. In addition, to report a bias incident or to receive support, visit the Stop Bias website.
I wish you all the best as the semester continues.
Sincerely,
Chief Bobby Maldonado