DPS News

Public Safety Update: Robbery

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, at approximately 10 p.m., a student was the victim of a robbery outside of the West Campus Starbucks. The student reported that the suspect – an unknown male – opened the student’s car door and displayed what appeared to be a knife and demanded the vehicle. The student gave the suspect cash, but he persisted until the student drove away. The suspect then fled the scene. No injuries were reported.

The suspect is described as a male, 15 to 16 years of age, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black mask. The suspect was last seen heading north on Henry Street.

If you were in the vicinity at the time and witnessed the incident, please contact the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5222 or the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety at 315.443.2224. If you would like to anonymously report NON-EMERGENCY information for DPS, you can use the Silent Witness tool or via the Rave Guardian app.

If you or someone you know has been affected by an incident on or near campus, please know that there are resources available to you. In addition, for your safety, please review these suggested safety strategies.

This public safety information is issued for your safety in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.

Public Safety Notice: Robbery

On Thursday, May 27, 2021 at approximately 10:00 PM, DPS received a report of a robbery that occurred at 150 Henry Street. The Syracuse Police Department and the Department of Public Safety are on the scene and investigating this incident. We ask that you stay away from the area, at this time and that you call DPS at 315.443.2224, should you have information regarding this incident. More information to follow.

Public Informational Notice: Suspicious Activity

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating several complaints that we want to make the community aware of. First, DPS is investigating a group of young boys aggressively and physically harassing members of the campus community. The boys are described as 12-16 years of age and have been observed walking or lingering around the Einhorn Family Walk and the Schine Student Center, near the West Campus Apartments and on South Crouse Avenue.

Additionally, DPS is also investigating reports of a suspicious vehicle, whose occupants shout out the windows, verbally harassing pedestrians as they pass by with hate and bias speech. The vehicle in question is a black Nissan Rouge with gold New York license plates. The occupants are described as four college-aged males.

“Our investigations team has been hard at work meeting with witnesses and reviewing camera footage from the incidents above; we ask that anyone with information to please come forward” shared Chief Bobby Maldonado. “Please make sure you are aware of your surroundings and if you are approached by anyone consistent with the description or if you see this vehicle, to not engage these individuals and call DPS immediately” he added.

Should you have any information or knowledge regarding these incidents or others, contact the DPS at 315.443.2224. If you would like to anonymously report NON-EMERGENCY information for DPS, you can use the Silent Witness tool or via the Rave Guardian app.

The University recognizes how these incidents can affect individuals and communities. If you or someone you know has been affected by a bias incident, there are resources available to you:

 

This public safety information is issued for your safety in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.

Orange Alert System Test Scheduled for Tuesday, May 11

The Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) will conduct a test of the Orange Alert Campus Crisis Alert Notification System on Tuesday, May 11 at 3:10 p.m. It will be a full test of the system which includes notifications sent via email, text message, and voice call. The test will also include the Orange Alert outdoor siren system on the University’s North and South campuses. The sirens will be activated for two minutes at 3:10 p.m.

To learn more, visit news.syr.edu.

April 2021 Updates from DPS

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

With more people being vaccinated and the desire to celebrate the end of the academic year, please remember public health guidance still recommends that you wear your mask, maintain social distancing practices, and gather with no more than 10 people only if your space allows for 6 feet of distance between each person. For more information, visit the Stay Safe website.

In this monthly update, I will address:

  • Loretta Lynch report recommendation progress
  • New peace officer academy
  • Cyber security
  • Bias investigations

Loretta Lynch Report Recommendation Progress

As we continue our work on the recommendations from the Loretta Lynch report, we have set up a page on our website to share the status of our work.

We will be updating this webpage regularly but will also share major updates in this monthly email communication.

New Peace Officer Academy

I am pleased to announce that we will be hosting a peace officer academy beginning this summer. The position was just recently posted to sujobopps.com and we are actively recruiting. From the Loretta Lynch report, we have made many positive changes to our academy training program and we look forward to adding new individuals to our team.

Cyber Security

Scammers are becoming more creative every day. They are sending phishing emails and text messages that claim to be from people, businesses or organizations you know. Please take a moment to review important tips on how to not fall victim to these scams from the ITS Security department.

Social media is another place where scammers are getting your information. Be wary of allowing too much personal information to be made public, including your full name, date of birth, contact information, location, etc. Make sure to review your privacy settings and set up two-step authentication when you can to help make your account more secure.

Monthly Bias Update

Since my communication last month, I have no new updates to share on the status of our investigations. As we do have updates, we will update our chart on the website, and share any developments in this monthly email. It is also never too late to come forward with information. You can call the DPS at 315.443.2224, submit information anonymously via the Silent Witness tool or the Rave Guardian mobile app. In addition, to report a bias incident or to receive support, visit the Stop Bias website.

I wish all our students the best of luck as they wrap up the remainder of the semester.

Sincerely,
Chief Bobby Maldonado