DPS News

With the holiday break quickly approaching, please take necessary action to protect your residences, offices, cubicle spaces and belongings.

For those who live and work on campus, please take the following steps to secure your personal and work space:

• Securely lock doors and windows.
• Close all curtains/blinds.
• Make sure to lock your door.
• Unplug all electrical items, except refrigerators.
• Do not leave your keys in a visible area.
• Mark/engrave all items of value and keep a record including serial numbers.
• Do not leave credit cards, checkbooks, cash or other valuables readily accessible; these can be taken and used by a thief before you know they are gone.

If you live off campus, please:
• Make your residence look occupied; consider buying a timer that automatically turns on interior and exterior lights at a predetermined time, or when there is motion.
• Be sure your outdoor lighting is working and sufficient/use dusk to dawn light bulbs.
• Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
• Take anything valuable home with you, e.g. laptop computer, video game console, jewelry, etc.
• Do not leave any valuable items near windows. Take pictures of anything valuable and ensure you have installed tracking software and documented the serial numbers of all electronic devices.
• Unplug all electrical items, except your refrigerator and timers.
• If you have a security alarm, make sure you turn it on when leaving.
• If you are leaving your vehicle here while traveling, do not leave anything of value visibly inside the vehicle and lock all doors.
• Consider placing your bicycle indoors while you are out of town.

If you see anything suspicious, for on-campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app or for off-campus, call the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111.

While many members of our community will be traveling during the break, many will remain here on campus. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is always working and available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you observe anything concerning. As always, our recommended safety strategies can be found on our website.

Wishing you a safe, happy and restful holiday.

Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a FALSE report of a fire at Hendricks Chapel. Multiple agencies, including DPS, Fire and Life Safety Services, the Syracuse Police Department, the Syracuse Fire Department responded to the scene and confirmed it was a false report.

Together with the University’s law enforcement partners, DPS is investigating who is responsible for making this false report. If you have any information, please contact DPS or local police.

As a reminder, DPS responds to and investigates all calls, even those assumed to be false. Below, please find a detailed overview of how we respond to and communicate about false reports and what steps you can take to ensure MySlice has your most up-to-date information in the event DPS issues an Orange Alert.

How we respond to reported threats

When we learn of claims of a situation that lack immediate credibility (no additional calls to 911, security footage showing no abnormal behavior, etc.) on campus, our DPS officers immediately respond to the report’s location where they work swiftly to confirm the veracity of the report. When responding to these reports, DPS officers will appear on the scene as they would in the event of a confirmed threat. For example, they will respond in significant numbers so you will likely observe multiple officers on foot and several patrol cars. The officers will respond, in many cases, with their weapons drawn as is standard law enforcement protocol. The officers will conduct a canvas of the scene and once the threat is discredited, it is then that DPS will communicate broadly with our campus community.

How we communicate about confirmed and discredited threats

In the event of a confirmed emergency situation, you will receive immediate communications from DPS via the Orange Alert System. Orange Alert provides rapid notification and instructions to Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students, faculty and staff. Orange Alert will communicate what the threat is and what, if any, action community members should take to as a result.

We reserve the use of this system for situations where there is an active or imminent threat of physical danger to our campus community. That is because when you receive an Orange Alert, we need you to know to take immediate action as directed. Orange Alert will leverage the following communications methods:

email
text messaging;
social media networks;
cell/landline phone calls to send a brief notice about the incident and instructions about what actions to take; and
sirens that sound on North Campus and South Campus.

After an Orange Alert message is broadcasted, more detailed follow-up information will be provided until it is determined the threat has been eliminated.

Sign up for Orange Alerts in MySlice

To receive the emergency communications, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to log in to MySlice to ensure their contact information for Orange Alert is up to date. It is important to note that to receive text message notifications your cell phone number must be designated as a mobile device.

DPS is always available to discuss our processes, protocols and how we collaborate with local, state and federal law enforcement to keep our campus community safe. Finally, remember that the Department of Public Safety is here for you 24/7 by calling 315.443.2224 or by connecting on the Orange Safe app.

Shortly after 1 p.m., the Women’s Building was evacuated due to a suspicious odor. Fire and Life Safety Services and the Syracuse Fire Department responded to the scene to assess the source of the problem. Upon completing their inspection, it was determined the odor came from an air handling unit. After isolating the source ventilating the space, Syracuse Fire Department reopened the building, and it has resumed standard operations.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, just before 2 a.m., officers from the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) and the Department of Public Safety (DPS), responded to 938 Ackerman Ave. for a reported fight. When officers arrived, the fight dispersed and several people, including those believed to be the suspects, fled the scene eastbound away from campus on foot. Two students sustained lacerations, believed to be caused by an unknown weapon, that required stitches and are being treated at a local hospital.

The suspects are described as males wearing black ski masks and black clothing. SPD, the primary investigating agency, asks that if you were in the vicinity at the time and witnessed the incident, please contact the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5222 or the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224. If you would like to anonymously report NON-EMERGENCY information for DPS, you can use the Silent Witness tool or the Orange Safe app.

If you or someone you know has been affected by an incident on or near campus, please know that there are resources available to you. In addition, for your safety, please review these suggested safety strategies.

This public safety information is issued for your safety in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.

With the semester in full swing, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) asks that you take a few minutes to review some important reminders about how to keep your property safe from theft.

Keep your bicycle and scooter safe

There have been several reports of stolen bikes and scooters on campus since the start of the school year. Please note the following best practices for locking your bicycle or scooter:

Secure Locations: Lock your bike or scooter in well-lit, high-traffic areas.
Proper Fit: Use a sturdy lock and ensure the lock fits snugly around the frame and wheel.
Avoid Obstructions: Avoid locking your bike or scooter near obstacles that could make it easier for thieves to access.

DPS always recommends using a U-bolt type of lock to better secure your bicycle/scooter and deter theft. These locks are available at the Syracuse University Bookstore in the Schine Student Center, as well as at most local retail stores and bicycle shops, and online retailers.

In addition, please consider registering your bicycle and/or scooter with DPS. To do that, complete this form to set up an appointment with an officer. A registration number will be affixed to your bicycle, and that information will be kept on record.

Don’t lose your packages

There has also been an uptick in package thefts on South Campus in recent days. Please note the following important steps you can take to protect your packages from theft:

Protect your packages!
• When ordering from Amazon, consider the option of having the package delivered to a secure Amazon hub instead of your doorstep, especially if it’s a particularly valuable item.
• For packages being delivered via UPS, FedEx or USPS, consider requiring a signature for delivery or arranging to pick the package up from a UPS, FedEx or USPS location.
• Do not have packages delivered to your residence hall, apartment, or home while you are away for an extended period. If you can, schedule the package to be delivered at a day and time when you know you will be home.
• Sign up for the carrier’s text message notifications so you know when a package has been delivered. Retrieve it promptly or ask a roommate to grab it if they will be home when it’s delivered.
• Do not prop open doors, and do not hold secure doors open for strangers. Politely ask them to use their key instead.
• Report suspicious activity to DPS immediately. If you witness a package theft in progress, call DPS and be prepared to provide a description of the person involved if you can.

If you see anything suspicious or to report a crime, please call DPS at 315.443.2224, by dialing #78 (#SU) from your cell phone, or dialing 711 from a campus landline. If you would like to anonymously report NON-EMERGENCY information to DPS, you can use the Silent Witness tool or the Orange Safe app.

The DPS office on Main Campus is located at 005 Sims Hall, and is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For our DPS Substation at 101 Marshall Street, hours of operation can be found here. You can also speak with Public Safety employees at security desks and other locations around campus.

An unexpected connection was made between a current Department of Public Safety (DPS) officer and a former Syracuse University men’s basketball player thanks to a DPS detective. Detective Mike Toia brought DPS Officer Teng Kiir and former men’s basketball player John “Bol” Ajak ’22 together for a conversation in Bird Library. Sharing stories about their journeys to the United States and finding common ground, the two hit it off.

To read the full article, visit news.syr.edu.