Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
It was wonderful having so many visitors on our campus this past month. Being able to celebrate a successful Commencement weekend was a fantastic end to the semester. As we head into the summer months, I will continue to provide you important updates from the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
In today’s message, I will touch on:
- R.A.D. Summer Session Sign-Ups Open
- Peace Officer Academy Update
- Employee of the Month
- ICAT Training
- Bicycle, Scooter and Skateboard Safety
- Monthly Bias Update
R.A.D. Summer Session Sign-Ups Open
R.A.D., which stands for Rape Aggression Defense, is a nationally known self-defense program. Join the Department of Public Safety for this women-only self-defense course offered exclusively to Syracuse University students, faculty and staff on the following dates:
- Sunday, June 18
- Sunday, June 25
- Sunday, July 9
- Sunday, July 16
All sessions will be held in the Skybarn on South Campus from 5 to 8 p.m. Faculty and staff have the option to attend with their daughters (anyone 18 years old and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). To learn more and register, visit the DPS website.
Peace Officer Academy Update
I am happy to report that the current group of recruits in our peace officer academy is making excellent progress. Throughout the past several weeks, our recruits have made great strides in their physical fitness training and spent a week going through the Emergency Vehicle Operator Course.
They will continue to tackle many other trainings throughout the next couple of months. For the latest updates from the academy, please follow our Instagram page: @SyracuseDPS.
Employee of the Month: May 2023
I am pleased to share that Office Coordinator Tracy Poushter has been selected as our May 2023 Employee of the Month.
Tracy was selected due to her creation and implementation of a process to digitize and archive administrative files. On top of that, she is extremely flexible with her hours in ways that help our entire operation run smoothly. Congratulations to Tracy!
ICAT Training
DPS is moving forward with ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics) training for all sworn personnel. ICAT is a training program developed by the Police Executive Research Forum that provides first responding police officers with the tools, skills and options they need to defuse a range of critical incidents successfully and safely. This initiative was endorsed by the Community Review Board following its review.
Two of our officers became certified instructors in ICAT training earlier this year and thanks to their experience we were able to see how this training would improve DPS. Learn more about ICAT by visiting its training guide webpage.
Bicycle, Scooter and Skateboard Safety
With the warm weather now here, more members of our campus community will utilize additional means of transportation. Please keep these important safety reminders in mind if you use a bicycle, scooter or skateboard:
- Obey traffic signs and signals; bicycles must follow the rules of the road like other vehicles.
- Always wear your helmet!
- Use a U-bolt locking device for your bicycle and register your bike with DPS.
For more safety tips, visit the Safety Strategies webpage.
Monthly Bias Update
May 23: DPS has identified an individual believed to be responsible for targeting students with harassing and biased messages in a Snapchat group chat. Screenshots provided to DPS show a specific Snapchat user targeting students based on race, gender and sexual orientation. The individual in question has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.
May 19: A Syracuse University student reported on Oct. 7, 2022; Dec. 10, 2022, and May 3, 2023, that hateful language was overheard at Lawrinson Hall that targeted the LGBTQ+ and Roma communities.
Update: DPS has met with the reporting party to gather additional information. Please contact us if you have any knowledge of these incidents.
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.
Hope everyone has a safe and productive start to the summer!
Sincerely,
Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety