Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
What an exciting time to be a member of the Orange family! Between the success of many of our athletic programs, the historic Micron announcement and everything in between, it has been very rewarding being a part of this community.
As I do every month, I am writing to share some important updates from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), including:
- Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Community Police Academy Graduation
- Peace Officer Academy Graduation
- Upcoming DPS Game Nights
- Monthly Bias Update
Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month
As I met with members of our team upon arrival at Syracuse University, I was consistently impressed by their backgrounds and the work they do. As part of National Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, our team highlighted one of our officers, Jessica Zaccari, who, before coming to DPS, worked at a victim’s advocacy center. If you have not had a chance to do so yet, I urge you to take a moment to read the article to learn more about her work and how DPS helps those who have been impacted by interpersonal violence.
Community Police Academy Graduation
Congratulations to the 18 members of our campus community who completed our very first Community Police Academy! This free four-week program, which took place throughout the month of October, is designed to give community members an idea of what it is like to be a member of the DPS team.
We are already hard at work preparing for our next iteration of the Community Police Academy slated for spring 2023 and will share more once the applications are open. To learn more about this program please visit dps.syr.edu.
Peace Officer Academy Graduation
Congratulations to the eight recruits from the DPS Peace Officer Academy who celebrated their graduation with families, friends and colleagues on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The ceremony, held at Drumlins Country Club, marked a milestone for these recruits as they complete the Campus Peace Officer Academy program.
These officers have since begun their time as field training officers, working side-by-side with veteran DPS officers before being released to solo patrol duties to serve the campus community. I wish them all the best and looking forward to them completing their training!
Upcoming DPS Game Nights
Throughout the semester, we have been holding game nights in the Schine Student Center and have enjoyed engaging with our students through this program. It’s nice to get to know each other while playing a game on a PlayStation 5 (PS5) or using an Oculus Quest. DPS is going to host a few more of these game nights as the semester winds down. For the remainder of the semester, you can find us in the Schine from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Nov. 15
- Tuesday, Nov. 29
- Tuesday, Dec. 13
We welcome your suggestions on other events we can host that allow our officers and our community to engage in informal ways. Be sure to mark your calendar and follow us on social media for more information: @SyracuseDPS.
Monthly Bias Update
Oct.10: At a men’s soccer game on Friday, Oct. 7, an individual was overheard yelling “you should speak English” to our visitors with the opposing team. Upon receiving the report, DPS began an immediate investigation.
Update: Multiple interviews were conducted, and as a result the individual was identified as a Syracuse University student. The student has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.
Oct.18: The reported incident allegedly occurred on the fourth floor in Flint Hall. According to the report, a racial slur was written on a whiteboard hanging on the door of a student’s room.
Update: Our team has conducted a thorough canvass of the floor and reviewed video, but we have no leads at this time. If you, or anyone you know, witnessed this incident, we ask that you reach out to us right away.
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.
I wish you continued success as the second half of the semester progresses.
Sincerely,
Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety