DPS News

August 2024 Updates from the Department of Public Safety

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

 

Public Safety Informational Notice

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

With a new semester underway, I am writing today to provide reminders about how to be securing your space and protecting yourself and your property. This is especially important as larcenies, burglaries, vehicle thefts and break-ins are more common when our community members first return to campus.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) are urging the Syracuse University and surrounding communities to be aware of their surroundings and take actions necessary to keep themselves and their property safe. In addition to encouraging vigilance, DPS and SPD have increased presence and patrols on and around campus. We ask our community members, particularly those living in adjacent off-campus neighborhoods, to remain alert for suspicious activity and take the following action to protect themselves and secure their space:

* Always lock your windows and doors – both when you’re home and before you leave your residence.
* 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.
* Lock windows on the ground level of your residence.
* Do not leave any valuable items near windows. Take pictures of anything valuable and ensure that you have installed tracking software (e.g. Find my iPhone) and documented the serial numbers of all electronic devices.
* If you have a security alarm, make sure you turn it on when leaving your residence.
* Always secure your residence, even if you leave for a few minutes.

If you utilize your personal vehicle on and off campus, please:

* Always lock your vehicle.
* Be sure all windows on your vehicle are closed
* Do not leave items in your vehicle and if you do, be sure they are not visible to anyone looking in (e.g. place them in the trunk).
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If you see anything suspicious on-campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app. For off-campus suspicious activity, call the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111. If you observe an immediate threat to safety, call 911.

As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is a 24/7 operation and always available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you observe anything concerning. Our recommended safety strategies can be found on our website.

Public Safety Update: Syracuse Police Department Investigating an Off-Campus Shooting on Madison St

As a follow up to the Public Safety Notice sent a short time ago, the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) is investigating a shooting that occurred off-campus near the 900 block of Madison Street. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to the scene to offer assistance to SPD, who is the lead law enforcement agency. Together with SPD, DPS can confirm there is no physical threat to the Syracuse University community. Please note, there is still an active scene while SPD continues its investigation.

19 – Public Safety Notice – Gunshots

On August 30th, 2024 at approximately 8:14pm, DPS & SPD received a report of gunshots at 901 Madison St. The Department of Public Safety and the Syracuse Police Department are investigating. Stay away from the area until further notice. If you have any information related to this event contact DPS at 315.443.2224. More information to follow.

Fire and Life Safety Services Hosts RAs for Fire Safety Academy

Fire and Life Safety Services (FLSS) took the University’s resident advisors (RAs) through a Fire Safety Academy ahead of the fall semester. During the day, participants rotated through stations where they learned important information and skills needed when it comes to fire safety.

“The goal of the Fire Safety Academy is to provide the RAs fire safety related information and responsibilities through a hands-on and interactive educational setting. They are then able to convey the fire safety information to their fellow students at their respective floor meetings,” says John Rossiter, manager of FLSS.

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