DPS News

Important Winter Weather Information

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

As Central New York begins to experience winter weather, we are writing to you today to provide you important information regarding how the University navigates and communicates about extreme weather conditions. We ask that you please review the enclosed information carefully.

In general, Syracuse University will remain open for business. However, we will always prioritize the safety and well-being of our community members when determining operating status. The University works with an independent weather service, Precision Weather Service, to inform our decisions about weather delays, closings or other operational changes. Input is also provided by Academic Affairs; Campus Facilities; Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services; and the Student Experience.

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

Public Safety Informational Notice: Burglaries on South Campus

On Saturday, November 19, 2022, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) responded to an occupied burglary in progress complaint at Small Road.

Upon arrival, DPS and SPD officers encountered two perpetrators, who were subsequently taken into custody without incident. There were no reported injuries. SPD is the lead agency on this case.

DPS asks that community members that are staying in the Syracuse area during the holiday break, particularly those living on South Campus and in adjacent off-campus neighborhoods, to remain alert for suspicious activity. Burglars are looking for open/unlocked windows and doors as a mean to enter properties to steal items. So please, always secure your belongings and residence before you leave or before you go to sleep at night.

In addition to locking your doors and windows, we encourage you to:

• Avoid leaving your keys out in the open.
• Mark/engrave all items of value and keep a record of them, including serial numbers.
• Not to leave credit cards, blank checks, or other valuables readily accessible; these can be taken and used by a thief before you know they are gone.
• Make your house look occupied; buy a timer that automatically turns on interior and exterior lights at a predetermined time, or when there is motion.
• Ensure your outdoor lighting is working and sufficiently bright.
• Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
• Not to 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.

If you observe anything suspicious while on-campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app. For individuals off-campus, please contact the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111. In the event of an emergency, please dial 911.

Public Safety Informational Notice: Secure Your Residence Before Leaving for the Holiday

With the holiday break quick approaching, the Department of Public Safety is reminding the University community to take necessary action to protect your residences, offices, cubicle spaces and belongings.

For those of you who live and work 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 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.
• 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.

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 at 315.443.2224 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.

Donation From Student’s Family Provides Electric Bikes to Department of Public Safety, Helps Boost Safety and Security on Campus

A generous donation made by a student’s family is helping strengthen the work of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide a safe and secure campus environment. The gift from Jay and Sandra Gelb, parents of College of Law students Matthew, Nicole and Robert, has allowed DPS to purchase two state-of-the-art electric bicycles, with a third expected to be purchased soon.

“Campus safety should be a priority. As parents we entrust that our most valuable asset—our children—is safeguarded while away from home,” says Jay Gelb. “It is so important to make sure that those protecting our loved ones have the best resources at their disposal.”

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

October 2022 Updates From the Department of Public Safety

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

What an exciting time to be a member of the Orange family! Between the success of many of our athletic programs, the historic Micron announcement and everything in between, it has been very rewarding being a part of this community.

As I do every month, I am writing to share some important updates from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), including:

  • Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month
  • Community Police Academy Graduation
  • Peace Officer Academy Graduation
  • Upcoming DPS Game Nights
  • Monthly Bias Update

Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As I met with members of our team upon arrival at Syracuse University, I was consistently impressed by their backgrounds and the work they do. As part of National Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, our team highlighted one of our officers, Jessica Zaccari, who, before coming to DPS, worked at a victim’s advocacy center. If you have not had a chance to do so yet, I urge you to take a moment to read the article to learn more about her work and how DPS helps those who have been impacted by interpersonal violence.

Community Police Academy Graduation

Congratulations to the 18 members of our campus community who completed our very first Community Police Academy! This free four-week program, which took place throughout the month of October, is designed to give community members an idea of what it is like to be a member of the DPS team.

We are already hard at work preparing for our next iteration of the Community Police Academy slated for spring 2023 and will share more once the applications are open. To learn more about this program please visit dps.syr.edu.

Peace Officer Academy Graduation

Congratulations to the eight recruits from the DPS Peace Officer Academy who celebrated their graduation with families, friends and colleagues on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The ceremony, held at Drumlins Country Club, marked a milestone for these recruits as they complete the Campus Peace Officer Academy program.

These officers have since begun their time as field training officers, working side-by-side with veteran DPS officers before being released to solo patrol duties to serve the campus community. I wish them all the best and looking forward to them completing their training!

Upcoming DPS Game Nights

Throughout the semester, we have been holding game nights in the Schine Student Center and have enjoyed engaging with our students through this program. It’s nice to get to know each other while playing a game on a PlayStation 5 (PS5) or using an Oculus Quest. DPS is going to host a few more of these game nights as the semester winds down. For the remainder of the semester, you can find us in the Schine from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 15
  • Tuesday, Nov. 29
  • Tuesday, Dec. 13

We welcome your suggestions on other events we can host that allow our officers and our community to engage in informal ways. Be sure to mark your calendar and follow us on social media for more information: @SyracuseDPS.

Monthly Bias Update

Oct.10: At a men’s soccer game on Friday, Oct. 7, an individual was overheard yelling “you should speak English” to our visitors with the opposing team. Upon receiving the report, DPS began an immediate investigation.

Update: Multiple interviews were conducted, and as a result the individual was identified as a Syracuse University student. The student has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Oct.18: The reported incident allegedly occurred on the fourth floor in Flint Hall. According to the report, a racial slur was written on a whiteboard hanging on the door of a student’s room.

Update: Our team has conducted a thorough canvass of the floor and reviewed video, but we have no leads at this time. If you, or anyone you know, witnessed this incident, we ask that you reach out to us right away.

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.

I wish you continued success as the second half of the semester progresses.

Sincerely,

Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety