Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a FALSE report of a rumored active shooter situation in the Maxwell School. Out of an abundance of caution, DPS officers responded and confirmed this report to be FALSE. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are investigating who is responsible for making this false report. If you have any information, please contact DPS or local police.
DPS News
How DPS Communicates in the Event of an Imminent Threat to Public Safety
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
I am writing to make you aware of a disturbing and recent trend affecting schools, colleges and universities known as “swatting.” Swatting is when an anonymous caller makes an intentionally false report of the presence of an active shooter. Syracuse University experienced a case of swatting last night.
Some of you may have observed posts on social media claiming there was a shooter on our campus. When we learned of this claim, our officers in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) immediately responded to the report’s location where they confirmed the report was unfounded. Simultaneously, we were in touch with our local law enforcement partners who confirmed the report was similar in nature and origin to other swatting calls that have occurred in New York state and elsewhere.
I recognize the threat of an active shooter situation is all too real in the United States, particularly in light of today’s tragedy in Louisville, Kentucky, and other recent mass shootings in our country. As your police chief, it is my responsibility to ensure you are and feel safe on this campus. Part of that responsibility is having an emergency notification process in place that clearly communicates to our community when a threat to public safety is present. It is also my responsibility to prevent panic when no threat exists.
Notification Methods: Orange Alert System
In the event of an active shooter situation, you will receive immediate communications from DPS. These communications will be made via the Orange Alert System. Orange Alert provides rapid notification and instructions to Syracuse University students, faculty and staff, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students in the event of a verified crisis in which an immediate threat of physical harm exists.
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 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.
My colleagues and I are 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.
Sincerely,
Craig A. Stone
Associate Vice President and Chief
Department of Public Safety
March 2023 Updates From the Department of Public Safety
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
Community Police Academy Graduates a New Class
On March 8, members of the campus community graduated from the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) community police academy (CPA). The CPA is a free four-week program designed to give students, faculty and staff an idea of what it is like to protect and serve the campus community. During their time, participants learned from guest presenters, including certified instructors from DPS, Fire and Life Safety Services, Residential Safety Program and Syracuse University Ambulance.
The CPA culminated in a graduation ceremony where the graduates were presented with “Stop the Bleed” and CPA graduation certificates from Craig Stone, DPS chief and associate vice president. “Building trust with our campus community is something that we are constantly focused on,” says Chief Stone. “The CPA has been a successful tool in helping strengthen the bonds with our community. I am grateful to both classes of the CPA that have graduated this academic year.”
Feedback from the CPA graduates about how the program was run was encouraging to see. Anne O’Connor, student support assistant in the School of Education, believes the CPA allowed her to have a better understanding of how DPS operates. “Now I know how things flow within DPS, especially in terms of jurisdiction and who can help me in what type of situation,” says O’Connor. “It also showed how many people are really involved to ensure the welfare and safety of every person on campus.”
Officer George Wazen, coordinator of the CPA, is encouraged by the growth he has seen with the program during its first year. “We are so fortunate that our campus community is enthusiastic about this initiative. We were able to increase our number of applicants and our number of graduates from our first CPA that was run in October,” says Wazen. Continuing to improve and expand the CPA is priority number one. “Our team is already hard at work with how we can continue to evolve the program for the future.,” he says.
O’Connor believes the CPA is not just for those who have an interest in law enforcement. “Even if you don’t necessarily have an interest in the police force, this program gave a lot more insight on how to be safe, and the right steps to take in case of any emergency on or off campus,” she says.
Dates for the next CPA during the Fall 2023 semester are in the process of being finalized. To learn more about the program, visit dps.syr.edu and follow DPS on social media (@syracusedps) for updates.
Public Safety Informational Notice – Preparing Residences for Spring Break
As spring break rapidly approaches many of you will depart our campus during the next couple of days. The Department of Public Safety is reminding the University community to take the necessary steps to protect your residences and belongings before you leave.
For those of you who live on campus, please take the following steps to secure your space:
- Secure doors and windows.
- Close all curtains/blinds.
- Make sure to lock your door.
- Unplug all electrical items, except refrigerators.
- Do not give your keys out.
- 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 appear 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.
- Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
- Take anything valuable home with you, i.e. laptop computer, video game console, jewelry, etc.
- Do not leave any valuable items near windows.
- Take pictures of anything valuable and ensure that 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 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.
For those of you who may be traveling for leisure or an academic experience over the break, be mindful of a few travel safety resources:
- The Covid-19 pandemic can still disrupt travel plans. Be sure to consider where and how you will isolate should you test positive during your trip. If you are traveling internationally be sure to check local rules and guidelines. Please review traveler resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- As always, additional travel resources are available to you from our Global Safety and Support team on the student experience page.
Even during the spring break, 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.
As always, our recommended safety strategies can be found on our website.
Wishing you all safe travels and a restful spring break.