Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
The end of the semester is fast approaching; I hope you all had a restful spring break and are now ready for the home stretch of the 2022-23 academic year.
In today’s message, I will address the following topics:
- Peace Officer Academy Update
- Recent Department of Public Safety (DPS) Investments
- DPS Game Nights
- Employees of the Month
- Crime Prevention Tips
- Monthly Bias Update
Peace Officer Academy Update
Another Peace Officer Academy is officially underway. On March 9, five new recruits were sworn in by Syracuse Police First Deputy Chief Richard Shoff. It was an exciting day for our entire department as these recruits start their journey toward becoming campus peace officers. During the next several months these recruits will be subject to technical, physical, classroom and field-based tests. Upon successful completion of the academy, graduates progress to field training with their respective field training officers for an additional 12 to 14 weeks. I look forward to providing updates on their progress in future messages.
Recent DPS Investments
New Signage: Keeping the campus community safe and informed is of the utmost importance. DPS recently invested in the production of new safety resource signs, which have been installed in the neighborhoods surrounding campus. In total, 94 signs were installed to replace existing signage. The main upgrades to the signage are highlighting the Orange Safe mobile safety app and the addition of a QR code that will bring users to important DPS and campus resources. Be sure to check out the new signs when you are out enjoying this warmer weather!
UTV Ready: Be on the lookout for our brand-new utility terrain vehicle (UTV) around campus soon. The UTV will significantly enhance DPS patrol operations (on- and off-road) moving forward. It will also be useful during large scale events on campus such as move-in/move-out, concerts, athletic events and Commencement. The UTV will be an integral part of our operation and increase our engagement with the campus community. I am excited to see it used in a plethora of ways!
DPS Game Nights
During this academic year, we have been holding game nights in the Schine Student Center and have enjoyed being able to engage with our students through this program, where we provide a PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Oculus Quest for use. There are only a handful of game nights left on the schedule. You can find us in the Schine from 5 to 8 p.m. on the following dates:
- Wednesday, April 19
- Wednesday, May 3
As always, 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 mark your calendar and follow us on social media for more information @SyracuseDPS.
Employees of the Month—March 2023
I am pleased to share that Officer Nadia Diaz, Quartermaster Joe Dishaw and Detective Mike Toia have been selected as our March 2023 Employees of the Month!
As I shared last month, Officer Diaz and Quartermaster Dishaw coach a youth basketball team within the Syracuse Police Athletic League. They worked with a group of third to fifth grade girls throughout the past couple of months. The team showed remarkable improvement each week and learned valuable teamwork and leadership skills.
Detective Toia is being honored for playing an essential role in assisting with five separate felony investigations, one burglary and four grand larceny/forgery incidents. Despite these cases falling under Syracuse Police Department jurisdiction, he took it upon himself to track down leads, review video footage, and worked with other agencies to help identify the perpetrators in these cases. Additionally, Detective Toia helped solve a case in which a student was being harassed via social media. Congratulations to our three winners!
Crime Prevention Tips
As the weather gets nicer, it is typical to see an uptick in criminal activity. Typically, most incidents reported involve no forced entry. Perpetrators usually enter through unlocked doors and windows and take advantage of what they perceive as easy targets. I’d like to remind you of some steps you can take to keep yourself and your property safe.
- Lock your doors and windows, even if you are going to be away for just a short period of time.
- Hide or lock up your valuables; do not leave them where criminals can easily see them.
- Remind your roommates to take the same action.
- Remain vigilant.
For more tips, visit the Safety Strategies webpage.
Monthly Bias Update
March 5: A Watson Hall resident reported overhearing the use of a homophobic/anti-LGBTQ+ slur on the third floor.
Update: DPS met with the reporting party and conducted multiple interviews in Watson Hall. Additionally, DPS has reviewed available video footage and notified the Syracuse Police Department and New York State Police. We ask anyone who may have information about this incident to contact us.
March 6: A University employee reported seeing an individual walking on campus wearing a winter hat with a confederate flag.
Update: DPS was able to locate and identify the individual in question. It was determined that the individual was a non-affiliate and was subsequently told to leave campus.
March 26: A Watson Hall resident reported they heard the verbal use of a slur targeting sexual orientation.
Update: Suspect identified and case turned over to the Office of Community Standards.
March 27: A University employee reported the theft of two flags, the Haudenosaunee flag and the LGBTQ+ flag, among those flown on flag poles on the Quad outside of Hendricks Chapel.
Update: DPS is following up on multiple leads by conducting interviews and continuing to review security footage. Syracuse Police Department and New York State Police have been notified.
March 27: A student observed three individuals in a classroom in the Hall of Languages maligning marginalized communities through derogatory commentary and offensive drawings.
Update: Suspects identified and case turned over to the Office of Community Standards.
It is 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 all a safe, productive and fun finish to the semester.
Sincerely,
Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety