Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Given the senseless acts of violence our country continues to experience, I want to assure you that our main priority is, and always will be, the safety of our campus. The team at Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services is here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The full extent of our services, resources and programming can be found on our website.
While fewer members of our community are on campus during the summer months, our team is using this time to conduct trainings and align our work with best practices in safety measures on college campuses.
I’d like to provide a few important updates in this edition of the monthly Department of Public Safety (DPS) email. I will address:
- New Peace Officer Academy
- Community Police Academy Update
- R.A.D. Classes Returning for Fall 2022
- Monthly Bias Update
New Peace Officer Academy
On Thursday, May 19, seven new recruits were sworn into the Syracuse University campus peace officer academy by Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile. Chief Cecile performed the swearing in of the academy recruits as an official welcome and endorsement of the joint law enforcement efforts in the University area, and to provide these campus peace officers with authority to enforce New York State law and local ordinances upon completion of their training. In addition to the seven recruits that will work for DPS upon completion, there is an additional recruit training to become a member of the public safety team at Ithaca College. He was sworn in by Tompkins County Sheriff Derek Osborne on Thursday, May 12. I look forward to seeing the work these individuals will put in over the next 20 weeks and beyond.
Community Police Academy
Like I announced last month, we are in the beginning stages of planning to host an annual Community Police Academy during the Fall 2022 semester. Our team is already finalizing the curriculum for this program, and we have secured the following dates:
- Wednesday, Oct. 5
- Wednesday, Oct. 12
- Wednesday, Oct. 19
- Wednesday, Oct. 26
Each week, the class will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Lyman Hall. We are also planning a graduation ceremony at the end of the last session. As details continue to develop, I will share them with the campus community.
R.A.D. Classes Returning for Fall 2022
R.A.D., which stands for Rape Aggression Defense, is a nationally known self-defense program. The program uses realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for individuals who want to learn such techniques. The R.A.D. system is a comprehensive course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, and progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.
Join the Department of Public Safety for a women-only self-defense course on the following dates:
- Sunday, Sept. 18
- Sunday, Sept. 25
- Sunday, Oct. 2
- Sunday, Oct. 9
To learn more and register, visit the DPS website at dps.syr.edu.
Monthly Bias Update
At this time, I have no new updates to share. However, if we do have additional updates, we will update the chart on our website and share any developments in this monthly email.
As a reminder, 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 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 a safe and productive summer. I look forward to providing additional updates in the months ahead.
Chief Craig Stone
Department of Public Safety