DPS News

Important Winter Weather Information

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

As Central New York begins to experience winter weather after a mild fall, we are writing to provide important information on how the University navigates and communicates about extreme weather conditions. Please review the following information carefully.

Syracuse University generally remains open for business in inclement weather, while always prioritizing the safety and well-being of our community members. We work with Precision Weather Service to help inform our decisions about weather delays, class cancellations or other operational changes. Community members representing Academic Affairs, Campus Facilities, Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services and the Student Experience Division are also consulted.

In the event weather conditions necessitate a change in the University’s operating status, it will be announced via the University’s emergency broadcast notification system and will carry the notice SU WEATHER ALERT. To ensure you receive these messages, please confirm your Orange Alert settings are up to date in MySlice.

SU WEATHER ALERT information will be announced via the following communications channels:

Only Syracuse University’s Division of Communications is authorized to transmit to the campus community and the news media about closings, work-schedule changes or class-start delays.

Although Syracuse University rarely closes for inclement weather, individuals must make personal decisions based on a risk assessment related to travel. We encourage all employees to take precautions and use good judgment when traveling to/from work. Faculty and staff concerned about travel conditions should contact their department chair or supervisor, respectively. Students, particularly those who commute to and from campus, should contact their professor if they have concerns about attending class.

For information on winter weather preparedness, please visit the Department of Public Safety website.

Sincerely,

Lois Agnew
Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Andrew R. Gordon
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer

Craig A. Stone
Chief, Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services

Scam Warning: Imposters Looking to Defraud U.S.-Based Chinese Community

Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), wants to let Chinese students know of a scam being perpetrated across the country where scammers impersonate Chinese police officers with the intent of defrauding members of the Chinese community living in the United States.

According to the FBI, the scammers:

  • Contact the victim by phone, claiming that their personal information is linked to a financial fraud investigation;
  • Transfer the phone call to what they claim to be the “Chinese police department”;
  • Pose as a Chinese police officer and inform the victim that they are under investigation and must return to China or face arrest and/or a trial;
  • Direct the victim to consent to 24/7 video and audio monitoring;
  • Instruct the victim to avoid discussing details of the case, refrain from conducting internet searches on the case, and report all of their daily activities; and
  • Direct victims to wire a large sum of money to a Chinese bank account to either prove their innocence or to post bail to avoid having to return to China.

To protect yourself, please take the following steps: 

  • If an unknown individual contacts you and accuses you of a crime, immediately call the FBI or DPS. Do NOT release any personal or financial information and do not send any money.
  • If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from a government agency, take down the name, title and contact information of the caller or email. Take steps to verify the contact by using public sources (internet) to locate the official government agency and then contact the agency yourself to confirm whether the outreach is legitimate.

 If you have received one of these phone calls, the best thing you can do is immediately contact the FBI or DPS. 

Public Safety Informational Notice

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.

DPS Receives Advanced Accreditation From CALEA

The number one priority of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is keeping the campus community safe. This is accomplished through adhearing to public safety standards set forth by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). DPS obtained both the IACLEA accreditation in 2015 and CALEA accreditation in 2020 and is pleased to announce being granted advanced accreditation by CALEA.

In April 2022, Craig A. Stone, associate vice president and chief of campus safety and emergency management services, directed DPS staff to work together to seek advanced accreditation knowing that this would not only enhance the delivery of public safety services but also build trust within the campus community.

Read more about the advanced accreditation on news.syr.edu.

Collaboration Between DPS and SPD Aims to Help Prevent Vehicle Thefts

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is teaming up with the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) to help decrease the number of vehicle thefts in the area.

On Friday, Nov. 15 from 11  a.m. to 2 p.m., officers from DPS and SPD will be at the Hookway Athletic Field lot, 1799 E. Colvin St., to distribute steering wheel locks to both Syracuse University community members and Syracuse residents. The steering wheel locks are free of charge.

“This event reflects our commitment to taking proactive measures in crime prevention and community engagement. Through this initiative, we hope to arm vehicle owners with an additional layer of protection to reduce the likelihood of theft,” says DPS Commander James McLellan.

“These steering wheel locks serve as a visible and effective deterrent to potential car thieves. The Syracuse Police Department is dedicated to working with state and local partners like DPS to promote awareness about vehicle security,” says SPD Sergeant Tom Blake.