Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
I can’t believe the fall semester is already here! Our entire Department of Public Safety (DPS) team has enjoyed seeing all the new and returning faces over the past couple of weeks. I hope everyone has settled in nicely as the semester gets underway.
If you haven’t yet, please review our communication that was sent out at the beginning of the semester which highlighted important safety resources and services. Please also make sure to read Dean of Students Sheriah Dixon’s email to you on Aug. 27.
Additionally, I have several updates to provide today, including the following:
- Important Safety Reminders
- Community Police Academy and R.A.D.
- DPS Community Engagement Events
- Employee of the Month
- Monthly Bias Update
Important Safety Reminders
Keep Your Belongings Safe
Members of the Syracuse University community can take some simple steps to ensure the safety of their belongings. DPS recommends taking these actions:
- Always lock your windows and doors, even if you are only going to be away from your room, apartment or house for a short period of time.
- Ensure car windows and doors are locked/secured. Do not leave your keys in your vehicle.
- Do not leave valuable items in your vehicle.
- If you need to keep valuables in the car, make sure that they can’t be easily seen, e.g., please keep them in the trunk. Keep them out of sight and locked up!
If you have something stolen or if your residence or car is broken into, don’t hesitate to reach out to DPS. Our non-emergency phone number to call is 315.443.2224.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
DPS would like to remind the campus community of a few easy steps that everyone can take to ensure we all reach our destinations unharmed, especially if we are walking or riding a bike or scooter.
- Avoid wearing earbuds or headphones.
- Look both ways before crossing and cross at the crosswalk.
- Wait for the walk signal!
- Be proactive by wearing light or reflective clothing during low-light situations.
Some specific safety tips for those on bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc.:
- Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings.
- Ride with traffic as this makes you more visible and your movements more predictable to motorists.
- You must wear a helmet!
Don’t forget to register your bike with DPS, so a record of your bicycle is kept on file in the event of a theft.
Community Police Academy and R.A.D.
Our DPS team is still accepting applications for our Community Police Academy (CPA) and registrations for our R.A.D. self-defense course. Please review the following information to determine if these programs may be of interest to you:
Community Police Academy: This is a free four-week program designed to give eligible students, faculty and staff an idea of what it’s like to protect and serve our campus community. For the Fall 2024 semester, the classes will be held on campus in Lyman Hall from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the following dates:
- Wednesday, Sept. 25
- Wednesday, Oct. 2
- Wednesday, Oct. 9
- Wednesday, Oct. 16
To learn more and register for our CPA program, visit here.
R.A.D. Self-Defense Course: R.A.D. is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques. The R.A.D. system is a comprehensive course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training. For the Fall 2024 semester, the classes will be held on the following dates from 6 to 9 p.m. at 1330 Jamesville Avenue:
- Tuesday, Sept. 24
- Tuesday, Oct. 1
- Tuesday, Oct. 8
- Tuesday, Oct. 15
To learn more and register for our R.A.D program, visit here.
DPS Community Engagement Events
Our DPS team is always looking for opportunities to connect with our campus community. Here are some events coming up:
DPS Game Nights: Game nights will be held again this semester in the Schine Student Center. There will be a PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Oculus Quest available for use, or just stop by to chat with DPS staff. You can find us in the Schine from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19. Be on the lookout for future dates for DPS Game Nights!
Coffee with a Cop: As you head to class or to work on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 9 to 11 a.m., stop by Sims Hall to see our team from DPS giving away treats for our Coffee with a Cop Day!
Our tent will be set up right outside Sims Hall by the College Place bus stop with:
- Coffee, hot chocolate and tea station
- Sweet treats
- Chance to win prizes and DPS swag
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 (@syracusedps) for more information on these events.
Employee of the Month
Brandon Benson has been selected as our August 2024 Employee of the Month. This summer Brandon was very busy helping implement the fix for Wi-Fi readers on campus and helped fix an issue with the in-car video for our patrol cars. He also was the lead programmer for most of the card access conversion this summer and took charge on leading the installation of over 200 card readers being installed in Orange Hall.
Monthly Bias Update
There are no new updates to share. 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 managed by Community Standards staff.
Stay safe and have a productive start to the semester.
Go Orange!
Chief Craig Stone
Department of Public Safety