Dear Campus Community Members:
With another weekend upon us, I am writing today to share with you the actions we are taking to keep our campus community safe, as well as reminders of critically important steps you can take to protect yourself and your property and reduce your risk of being a target of criminal activity.
We are expecting an active weekend, with many activities scheduled on campus, including the Syracuse Football game, which kicks off at noon on Saturday, Sept. 17. Given the ongoing prevalence of burglaries the City of Syracuse is experiencing, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is taking the following actions to dissuade and deter criminal behavior:
- DPS has increased patrols of the University neighborhoods; the community can expect to see an influx of DPS officers in the area throughout the weekend.
- The Syracuse Police Department and New York State Police have launched a joint effort to deploy state troopers and additional SPD officers in University-adjacent neighborhoods.
- DPS continues to communicate regularly with our campus community about actions each of us can take to keep ourselves, our families, roommates, housemates and our residences safe.
As a reminder, it is critically important that our community reman vigilant and alert for suspicious activity, and report anything that seems out of the ordinary immediately. An arrest of two suspects in burglaries last weekend was aided by calls made by alert neighbors. Please review and continue to deploy these safety strategies:
- Lock your doors and windows. The vast majority of recent burglaries are the result of criminals entering through open windows and unlocked doors.
- Always secure your belongings and residence before you leave and before you go to sleep at night.
- Avoid leaving your keys out in the open.
- Mark/engrave all items of value and keep a record of them, including serial numbers.
- Don’t leave credit cards, blank checks or other valuables readily accessible; these can be taken and used by a thief before you know they are gone.
- Make your house look occupied; buy a timer that automatically turns on interior and exterior lights at a predetermined time, or when there is motion.
- Ensure your outdoor lighting is working and sufficiently bright, and trim shrubs and tree branches that obscure lighting around entrances.
- Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
- Do not leave any valuable items near residence windows or visible in your car.
- Take pictures of anything valuable, install tracking software, if possible, and document the serial numbers of all electronic devices.
If you observe anything suspicious on campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app. To report off-campus crime, call the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111. In an emergency, dial 911.
We want everyone to have a safe, restful and enjoyable weekend. Please continue to use caution and remain aware of your surroundings. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact DPS. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to all members of our community.
Sincerely,
Craig A. Stone
Associate Vice President and Chief
Department of Public Safety