Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
This will be our last message for 2021 and it will be the last time you will hear from me in this forum, as I am officially retiring on Dec. 31, 2021. It has been my honor to lead the Department of Public Safety (DPS), as your chief. I am grateful to all members of DPS, who do the best they can each and every day to keep our community safe. I am fortunate to have enjoyed the support of the Syracuse University community throughout my tenure and will miss you all. May you have a happy and healthy holiday season.
In this month’s email, I will be highlighting the following:
- Securing Your Living Space Before Break
- Community Review Board
- Download the Rave Guardian Safety Mobile App
- Monthly Bias Update
Securing Your Living Space Before Break
As you finish up the semester and get ready to head home for a longer break, please make sure that you lock the doors and windows to your residence. During the fall semester, we had several incidents where the suspects entered properties through suspected unlocked windows and doors. We did not see any incidents where forced entry had occurred. Consider bringing your valuable items home with you or making sure you are leaving them in secure places—not out in the open. The Department of Public Safety will still be here to patrol while you are gone but it is important that you take these proactive measures to keep your belongings and residence safe.
Community Review Board
Earlier this month, the formation of the Community Review Board (CRB) was announced. The board is chaired by Brianna Sclafani, student in the College of Law and graduate student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Other members of the CRB are the following:
- Yusuf S. Abdul-Qadir, Graduate Student, School of Information Studies
- Guilherme Maurell Costa, Senior Associate Vice President and Deputy University Secretary, Office of the Board of Trustees
- Liz Green, Executive Director, Online Student Success, Vice-Chair
- Keith L. Henderson, Chief Compliance Officer, Office of University Counsel
- Theresa A. Jenkins, Academic Advisor, Newhouse School of Public Communications
- Milton R. Laufer, Director and Associate Professor, School of Music, College of Visual and Performing Arts
- Alexandra Zoey Pollack, Undergraduate Student, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
- David J. Williams, Undergraduate Student, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
- Corrinne B. Zoli, Research Faculty, Forensic Science Institute
In addition to these 11 members, it was also announced that Bethaida “Bea” González, former vice president for community engagement, special assistant to the chancellor and dean of University College, will be senior advisor to the CRB and Melvin “Tony” Perez, former chief of public safety for Monroe Community College, will be the CRB’s expert law enforcement consultant.
The CRB will be responsible for reviewing appeals of civilian complaints regarding DPS officer conduct. Additionally, the CRB is tasked with reviewing and commenting on prospective new DPS policies, procedures and trainings; reviewing key community-facing functions of DPS; and issuing to the University community a public annual report of findings and recommendations.
Even though the CRB is completely independent of DPS, our team here welcomes the feedback from the board going forward.
Download the Rave Guardian Safety Mobile App
Have you downloaded the Rave Guardian app yet? It acts as a mobile blue light, right in the palm of your hand! This app replaced the LiveSafe app but still offers all the same features, including easily connecting with emergency resources, safety timers, anonymous tip reporting and quick access to critical resources. Please download this important app today! For more information about the app, including frequently asked questions, visit dps.syr.edu.
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, 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 in all your future endeavors. It has been a pleasure to serve the Syracuse University community.
Sincerely,
Chief Bobby Maldonado