Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
This will be the final message from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for the Fall 2022 semester. It has been an honor to become fully immersed in the Syracuse University community throughout the past year. I am already looking forward to the work ahead as we wind down the year and begin our preparation for the spring semester. With that being said, I wish for you all to have a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.
In today’s message, I will address the following topics:
- Orange Safe Downloads and Giveaway
- Preparing Residences for Break
- Winter Weather Preparedness
- Final DPS Game Night
- Monthly Bias Update
Orange Safe Downloads and Giveaway
Our new campus safety app, Orange Safe, has reached a milestone of 5,000 downloads. In just a few months we have more than doubled the number of users that were registered on our previous campus safety app. On behalf of DPS, we appreciate the cooperation and engagement that has led to the early success of Orange Safe.
To recognize this milestone, DPS is running an “Orange Safe Giveaway” that is currently underway and will conclude on Friday, Dec. 9. For information on how to enter the giveaway you should download the Orange Safe app or visit our Instagram page: @SyracuseDPS.
Preparing Residences for Break
As many of you plan to depart campus for the winter break, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you to take necessary action to protect your residences, offices, cubicle spaces and belongings. Please review our latest informational notice about how to secure your spaces.
While many members of our community will be heading elsewhere after finals, many will remain around campus. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is always working and available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 315.443.2224 if you observe anything concerning.
Winter Weather Preparedness
As we head into December, I want to stress the importance of being prepared for winter weather. I urge you to review our recent winter weather preparedness message. It is helpful to know how the University makes decisions during severe winter weather and how you can best stay informed. For additional winter weather resources, please visit the National Weather Service’s website.
Final DPS Game Night
Our DPS team has enjoyed interacting with members of our campus community in an informal setting thanks to our DPS game nights. With the end of the semester in sight, we have one more game night left. As always, we will have a PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Oculus Quest available for use. Our final game night will be held at the Schine Student Center on Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Participation and feedback from our campus community is vital. We welcome your suggestions on other events we can host that allow our officers and our community to get to know each other better. Be sure to follow us on social media for more information on future game nights and other DPS events: @SyracuseDPS.
Monthly Bias Update
Nov. 10: A student reported discovering antisemitic graffiti on a desk in Watson Theater.
Update: Interviews were conducted with several individuals who were in Watson Theater, but DPS has yet to identify any leads or additional information. We ask that anyone who may have information about this incident contact us immediately.
Nov. 30: An employee reported the discovery of racist graffiti that was found written on a men’s bathroom wall in Slocum Hall.
Update: DPS met with the employee who discovered the racist graffiti and inspected the impacted space in Slocum Hall. Due to the incident occurring in a restroom, there is no reliable video footage or direct witness accounts. We ask that anyone who may have information about this incident contact us immediately.
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 and Hate website.
Best of luck to our students on final exams, projects and performances. And to all members of our community: on behalf of our DPS team, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season and restful winter break.
Sincerely,
Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety