DPS News

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.

October 2024 DPS Update

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:   

It has been a busy fall semester here at the University. All of us in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) hope you are having a good year so far.  

I’d like to provide a few updates this month, including the following:  

  • Engagement Efforts  
  • Community Police Academy Graduation  
  • Preparing Residences for Thanksgiving Break  
  • Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services (CSEMS) Achievements  
  • Monthly Bias Update 

Engagement Efforts  

Our DPS team is always seeking opportunities to connect with our campus community. Below are events we have held or have planned: 

Reassurance Station

In partnership with Student Title IX Case Management and Apartment and Off-Campus Living staff, DPS held its “Reassurance Station” ahead of Halloween. Hundreds of students stopped by our table at 401 Euclid Ave., outside Lyons Hall. Representatives from the two offices provided snacks while reminding students of important safety tips and answering questions. We look forward to continuing this initiative. 

Crime Prevention Workshops

Crime prevention and education are important measures in reducing crime. Our team offers crime prevention and general security and safety awareness presentations when requested by students, University employees and community groups. To learn more about these workshops or request one, please visit the crime prevention workshop request form webpage. 

Community Police Academy Graduation  

Congratulations to our University community members who completed our fifth Community Police Academy! This free four-week program is designed to give community members an idea of what it is like to be a member of the DPS team. This was our largest graduating class to date. 

We are hard at work preparing our next iteration of the Community Police Academy slated for Spring 2025 semester. More information to come in the upcoming months! 

Preparing Residences for Thanksgiving Break  

As many of you plan to depart campus for Thanksgiving Break, we remind you to take action to protect your residences, offices, cubicle spaces and belongings. Please review our recommended safety strategies to secure your spaces. 

While many members of our community will be heading elsewhere, some will remain around campus. As a reminder, DPS is always working and available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 315.443.2224 if you observe anything concerning. 

Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services (CSEMS) Achievements   

Employees of the Month

Internal Communication and Marketing Manager Kiana Racha and Residential Community Security Officer Kamren Euson have been selected as our October 2024 Employees of the Month. Congratulations on a job well done! To read about their accomplishments, please visit the employee of the month webpage.  

CSEMS Awards

The CSEMS Awards serve as an opportunity to honor the impactful work of our entire unit from the past year. An awards committee composed of CSEMS employees, with representation from all units, begins planning the awards during the summer months. The 2024 CSEMS Awards were presented on Oct. 24. To learn more about the 2024 honorees, please see CSEMS Awards webpage. 

Monthly Bias Update  

Oct. 5: Two Syracuse University students reported hearing vulgar language and a homophobic/anti-LGBTQ+ slur shouted at them by an unknown person in the area of the Barnes Center.  

Update: DPS officers reviewed all available CCTV footage in hopes of identifying the responsible party. It is unclear if the unidentified male is affiliated with Syracuse University. 

As a reminder, if we have additional updates they will be posted on the chart on our website and we will share any developments in this monthly email. 

It is never too late to come forward with information on any bias incident or crime. 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 and Hate website. 

Go Orange!  

Chief Craig A. Stone
Department of Public Safety