On Aug. 14, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) welcomed families, friends and colleagues of the 9th Peace Officer Academy recruits to a graduation event. The ceremony, held at Drumlins Country Club, was the perfect culmination of their accomplishments over the last few months.
“Our graduates have shown great discipline and dedication throughout their 22 weeks of training,” says Michael Bunker, associate vice president and chief of DPS. “They now join a department committed to service, professionalism and care for the Syracuse University community.”
To read the rest of the story, head to news.syr.edu.
2025 campus peace officer recruits at graduation (Front row, from left: Misty Stephens, Mariyah Byrd and Jesus Gorra; back row, from left: Megan Healey, Brennan Kreis and Matthew Calley)
As the new chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services, I’m grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received over the past several weeks. It’s been a pleasure getting to know many of you, and I look forward to meeting even more members of our campus community.
I’ve also had the opportunity to meet individually with members of the Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services team to better understand the important work they do each day. I continue to be impressed by their professionalism, dedication and care for this community, and I’m truly honored to be leading such a committed team.
I have several important topics I would like to address this month in our update, including the following:
Youth Leadership Camp
Community Engagement
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
Youth Leadership Camp
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) held its third annual Youth Leadership Camp for rising ninth graders from the Syracuse Police Athletic League (PAL) the week of July 22. The students learned about leadership and goal setting, effective communication and life skills, such as how to stop the bleed and using a fire extinguisher
We appreciate William (Bill) Coplin, professor of policy studies in the Maxwell School, for instructing the students in Skills Win: A Program to Improve Basic Career and Citizenship Skills, and head football coach Fran Brown for showing the young people around the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. I also want to extend my thanks to the volunteer students, faculty and staff who assisted with the camp.
Community Engagement
Welcome Safety Stations
Our safety stations are back for the 2025-2026 academic year. We will be located at several spots across campus the first few weeks of school. There will be snacks and our officers will be reminding students of important safety tips and answering any questions you may have.
Our DPS team is accepting applications for the Community Police Academy (CPA). Please review the following information to determine if the program may be of interest to you:
The Community Police Academy 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 2025 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. 24
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Wednesday, Oct. 8
Wednesday, Oct. 15
To learn more and register for our CPA program, visit the CPA webpage.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
DPS would like to remind the campus community of a few easy steps 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 in areas where vehicles are operating.
Look both ways before crossing and only 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.
DPS strongly urges all riders to wear a helmet.
Secure your bicycle/scooter to a campus bike rack with a U-bolt lock.
As a reminder, if you have information that may be relevant to DPS or an ongoing investigation, it is never too late to come forward. 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 look forward to having everyone back on campus starting next week!
For the past 8 years, the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) has welcomed a new class of recruits into its Peace Officer Academy — a rigorous training program designed to prepare individuals for the responsibilities and challenges of serving our campus community. Over the course of several months, these recruits undergo intensive instruction in New York State law, defensive tactics, crisis response, community engagement, and much more.
For the 2025 Peace Officer Academy, we have welcomed the following recruits: Mariyah Byrd, Matthew Calley, Jesus Gorra, Megan Healey, Brennan Kreis and Misty Stephens. They are gaining the skills and experience that will shape them into effective and compassionate public safety professionals. We sat down with several of them to hear firsthand about their motivations for joining the academy, what the experience has been like so far, and what they’re looking forward to as they move toward graduation.
What inspired you to pursue a career in public safety?
Stephens: This has always been a career I’ve appreciated and respected. I’ve embraced every opportunity in the field of law enforcement leading up to this point. I’ve come to realize that if you want to make a true impact in life, you have to take risks and pursue what you’re genuinely called to do. As a parent, I’m especially driven to make a difference—not just for my own children, but for the students on campus as well.
Calley: This has been my dream career for as long as I can remember, or anyone in my family or friend group for that matter. To make it as short as possible, law enforcement is the only career in public service that actively patrols its community and looks for opportunities to help people.
Healey: I originally was pursuing a career in the legal field, until I was involved in a serious accident. The deputy who did the investigation, was so caring and kind to me I realized I wanted to be that person for somebody else on their worst day.
Why did you choose to join the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety?
Stephens: I’ve been with DPS for six years and have served as a CSO, Dispatcher, and CSO Supervisor. From the beginning, my goal was to become a PSO, and I never lost sight of that. I’ve had the opportunity to grow from the ground up—gaining a deep understanding of how the campus operates and getting to know the students we serve. Over the years, I’ve grown both personally and professionally, and it felt like the right time to take the next step and become the best version of myself by achieving the PSO role I set out for years ago.
Calley: The University is a very community-oriented agency which was a goal of mine to have in public safety.
What has surprised you most about the training so far?
Calley: How demanding PT is for sure, somehow the mental aspect is just 10x more draining physically.
Kreis: How badly out of shape I am in!
Gorra: How discipline everything was which has helped me also outside of the academy.
Byrd: The progressive training we are receiving daily surprised me. Everything we are being taught has great intent behind it. The overall DPS program is very detail oriented and tailored towards building recruits up.
What has been the most challenging part of the academy?
Stephens: Pushing through when you didn’t think you had anything left to give, but that satisfaction at the end knowing you didn’t give up and can do anything
Calley: Being class leader was definitely the biggest challenge; it was a lot of responsibility and gave me a lot to overcome which I set myself to. I think I came out alright after everything was said and done.
Gorra: Discipline has been the most challenging part which is something that I have struggled with but although it has been rewarding, it has thought me more about myself and to work harder towards goals and directions.
What has been your favorite part of the training so far?
Stephens: The bonds I have created with my fellow recruits.
Calley: So far, the class and working together with people who are so vastly different and likely would never interact with each other outside of this circumstance has been and exceptional experience.
Kreis: I have enjoyed meeting the other recruits and the instructors.
What skills have you gained or strengthened during the academy?
Stephens: Critical thinking skills and the confidence not only in the task but in myself.
Calley: I really gained an appreciation for basic marksmanship during firearms and got to expand my skills in driving during EVOC.
Gorra: My endurance from running has strengthened and I have learned new firearms skills and how to approach various situations.
Byrd: Accountability, integrity and officer safety.
Are there any lessons or values from the academy you’ll carry with you throughout your career?
Calley: Always be looking for an opportunity to help people, it’s something I joined this career for. The academy has only strengthened my concept of how and where to use this drive.
Byrd: Prioritize learning development, maintain fitness and building strong relationships within the community.
Healey: There has been an emphasis on a professional appearance, and professional demeanor throughout the entire academy. These values are critical parts of our daily careers being law enforcement officers, and it has now become second nature to us all.
What are you most looking forward to in the next half of the program?
Stephens: Looking forward to FTO and learning more hands on.
Calley: The scenario training and more roleplaying training is what I’m most looking forward to as the academy winds down. Just being given the opportunity to use what we’ve been learning for the past months.
Byrd: I’m looking forward to gaining field-training experience
Gorra: To learn as much as I can about the field, how to operate and apply the materials learned in the classroom to the job.
As the recruits enter the final few weeks of their training, they can look forward to learning more about what it takes to be a Peace Officer for DPS. The Peace Officer Academy not only equips them with the technical skills required for the job but also instills the values of integrity, empathy, and leadership that are essential to serving our campus community. We look forward to seeing these recruits take the next step in their careers!
Michael Bunker has officially started his new role as associate vice president and chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services. With a strong background in public safety leadership and a passion for community engagement, Bunker brings a clear vision for how to continue fostering a safe, inclusive and responsive campus environment.
To learn more about Chief Bunker, check out news.syr.edu.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is thrilled to announce that it has achieved accreditation from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the leading authority for campus public safety. Fewer than 100 agencies have earned this distinctive recognition.
IACLEA Accreditation signifies an agency’s ongoing commitment to excellence and state-of-the-art performance in every aspect of its operations. The standards guide the recruitment, selection, training and professional development of agency personnel and overall agency operations. In order to receive the accreditation, DPS had to demonstrate to outside, impartial experts its compliance with national best-practice standards in the profession.
Read more about the accreditation on news.syr.edu.
