DPS News

Public Safety Notice: Attempted Robbery

For the protection and safety of SU students, faculty, staff and neighbors, the Department of Public Safety releases the following alert:

Attempted Robbery (Date Issued: October 12, 2016 SPD Case # 16-496959)

Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at approximately 6:22 p.m. – 150 Stadium Place. A student reported an attempted robbery on campus.  A student while in her vehicle was approached in the Stadium parking lot located at 150 Stadium Place by an unknown male who told the student to give him the keys to her vehicle or he would harm her.  The student screamed for help and the male then fled the scene on foot in a westerly direction away from campus.  No injuries reported. No weapon was displayed.

DPS asks for your help in identifying a suspect if you were in the vicinity at the time of the incident. For this purpose, the following is the description of the suspect: Male, mid 20’s, 5’10” tall, medium build, short brown hair, shaved eyebrows (with 3 slits in each brow), wearing a red shirt and black jeans. No further description.

For an interactive map of the incident location, refer to the Google Map link at:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uzS6goH3aX9H7S_wyzccWKv5x3s&usp=sharing

If anyone has any information regarding this incident or others, 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, available at http://publicsafety.syr.edu/html/silent_witness.html.

FOR YOUR SAFETY, PLEASE REMEMBER:

  • After dark, take advantage of the free safety escort services available through the Department of Public Safety. Both walking and shuttle services are available to students, staff, and faculty at SU or SUNY-ESF. Call 443-SAFE (7233) for more information about these services.
  • Take advantage of the CENTRO and Birnie Bus services. Taxi services are also available.
  • Walk, bike or jog in groups of three or more, away from bushes, cars, and other objects a suspect could hide behind.
  • Plan your walking travel times by avoiding late to early morning hours.
  • Be aware of your surroundings: look and listen. Headphones and cell phones can create tunnel vision.
  • Travel in well-lit and populated areas. Keep porch lights on at night.
  • Download the LiveSafe app on your Android or iOS smart phone. The app provides a virtual escort feature you can use with friends and quick links to important public safety information. Set the app to Syracuse University and sign up with your syr.edu email address!
  • Don’t approach strangers or let them get close to you.
  • If you think someone is following you, switch directions or cross the street. Go toward an open business or lighted house.
  • Have your house or car keys in hand before you reach your door.
  • Know where campus blue light alarms are and how to use them.
  • If someone tries to rob you, don’t resist. Give up your property, not your life.
  • If you are in a safe place to do so, attempt to get a description of the suspect(s) and any associated vehicles or license plate numbers.

IMMEDIATELY report emergencies or suspicious activities, persons and vehicles.

For Public Safety dial 443-2224 or #78 (from a cell phone); if you are in a situation where you cannot safely make a phone call, send a text message to 711@syr.edu; for Syracuse Police dial 911.

Your quick reporting may help prevent others from becoming victims.

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

Safety at Syracuse University: A Message from Chief Bobby Maldonado

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Last night, around 11 p.m. a shooting occurred in the City of Syracuse, near the Syracuse University campus, in the 600 block of Walnut Avenue.  The Syracuse City Police were on the scene when the incident occurred and there was no active threat to the University community.

Because there was no active threat, the Orange Alert system was not activated. As the Chief of Public Safety at Syracuse, I have determined that this was appropriate and consistent with protocol. An Orange Alert is only utilized for situations in which there is an immediate threat of physical harm to members of the campus community.

In this situation, there was no ongoing threat to the campus and the incident began and ended within minutes, as our Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers arrived minutes later. Later in the evening, after working with the Syracuse City Police, DPS issued a campus wide email reiterating there was no threat to the campus from the incident.  To learn more about our Orange Alert system, please visit our website. There, you can also learn how to review and modify your contact information.

However, I do recognize the incident’s proximity to our campus is concerning. As Chief of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) my chief priority is and always will be the safety and well-being of each member of our campus community.

Last night’s events were unsettling and I want to remind you that a variety of counseling services are available. Students, for 24 hours a day, seven days a week counseling support, please contact the Counseling Center at 315.443.4715. Additional services are also provided by the Office of Student Assistance, Monday through Friday, by calling 315.443.4357. For faculty and staff, assistance is available through Carebridge, the University’s Faculty and Staff Assistance Program. Trained clinicians answer the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached at 800.437.0911.

Sincerely,

Chief Bobby Maldonado

Department of Public Safety

Public Safety Notice: Off-Campus Strong Armed Robbery

Friday, October 7, 2016 at approximately 7:15 p.m. – 184 Remington Ave

A student reported a strong-arm robbery that occurred off campus. The student reports after entering his off campus apartment building at 184 Remington Ave. when he was approached by three unknown males in his building. One of the suspects demanded the student give him his money. One of the suspects then forcibly removed the student’s wallet from his pants pocket and removed the cash and returned the wallet to the student. The suspects attempted to steal his cell phone but were unsuccessful. The suspects fled the scene on foot exiting the building in an unknown direction of travel. The student was not injured. There was no threat of a weapon. 

DPS asks your help in identifying the suspects if you were in the vicinity at the time of the incident. For this purpose, the following is the description of the suspects:

3 Males, 16 to 17 years of age, one suspect had on an orange short sleeve t-shirt, 5’ 7” tall, husky build, short black hair, no further description available.

For an interactive map of the incident location, refer to the Campus Alerts 2016 Google Map link at:
                 https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&authuser=0&mid=1uzS6goH3aX9H7S_wyzccWKv5x3s

If anyone has any information regarding this incident or others, 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, available at http://publicsafety.syr.edu/html/silent_witness.html

FOR YOUR SAFETY, PLEASE REMEMBER:

After dark, take advantage of the free safety escort services available through the Department of Public Safety. Both walking and shuttle services are available to students, staff, and faculty at SU or SUNY-ESF. Call 443-SAFE (7233) for more information about these services.

Take advantage of the CENTRO and Birnie Bus services. Taxi services are also available.

Walk, bike or jog in groups of three or more, away from bushes, cars, and other objects a suspect could hide behind.

Plan your walking travel times by avoiding late to early morning hours.

Be aware of your surroundings: look and listen. Headphones and cell phones can create tunnel vision.

Travel in well-lit and populated areas. Keep porch lights on at night.

Download the LiveSafe app on your Android or iOS smart phone. The app provides a virtual escort feature you can use with friends and quick links to important public safety information. Set the app to Syracuse University and sign up with your syr.edu email address!

Don’t approach strangers or let them get close to you.

If you think someone is following you, switch directions or cross the street. Go toward an open business or lighted house.

Have your house or car keys in hand before you reach your door.

Know where campus blue light alarms are and how to use them.

If someone tries to rob you, don’t resist. Give up your property, not your life.

If you are in a safe place to do so, attempt to get a description of the suspect(s) and any associated vehicles or license plate numbers.

IMMEDIATELY report emergencies or suspicious activities, persons and vehicles.

For Public Safety dial 443-2224 or #78 (from a cell phone); if you are in a situation where you cannot safely make a phone call, send a text message to 711@syr.edu; for Syracuse Police dial 911.

Your quick reporting may help prevent others from becoming victims.

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

Public Safety Information: Off-Campus Reckless Endangerment Incidents

For the protection and safety of SU students, faculty, staff and neighbors, the Department of Public Safety releases the following alert:

OFF CAMPUS Reckless Endangerment Incidents – SPD and DPS Case #’s 16-486466, 16-473824 and 16-454314

Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at approximately 10:00 p.m. – 1000 block of Madison Street.
Sunday, September 25, 2016 at approximately 12:30 am – 400 block of Ostrom Avenue.
Sunday, September 11, 2016 at approximately 11:30 pm – 300 block of Euclid Avenue.

In two incidents students were walking in the area and reported seeing a dark colored four door sedan with what appeared to be two occupants driving slowly in the area they were walking. In the third incident the student reported the vehicle to be a dark colored SUV with four occupants. As the vehicle passed, the students heard what they thought to be a BB gun firing BB’s. In all cases the students were struck with what appeared to be BB’s fired from a BB gun.
DPS asks your help in identifying the suspects if you were in the vicinity at the time of the incident. For this purpose, the following is the description of the suspects: males, unknown age, in a dark colored 4 door vehicle, no further description. For an interactive map of the incident location, refer to the Campus Alerts 2016 Google Map link at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uzS6goH3aX9H7S_wyzccWKv5x3s&usp=sharing

If anyone has any information regarding this incident or others, 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, available at: http://publicsafety.syr.edu/html/silent_witness.html

FOR YOUR SAFETY, PLEASE REMEMBER: 

  • After dark, take advantage of the free safety escort services available through the Department of Public Safety. Both walking and shuttle services are available to students, staff, and faculty at SU or SUNY-ESF. Call 443-SAFE (7233) for more information about these services.
  • Download the LiveSafe app on your Android or iOS smart phone. The app provides a virtual escort feature you can use with friends and quick links to important public safety information. Set the app to Syracuse University and sign up with your syr.edu email address!
  • Take advantage of the CENTRO and Birnie Bus services. Taxi services are also available.
  • Walk, bike or jog in groups of three or more, away from bushes, cars, and other objects a suspect could hide behind.
  • Plan your walking travel times by avoiding late to early morning hours.
  • Be aware of your surroundings: look and listen. Headphones and cell phones can create tunnel vision.
  • Travel in well-lit and populated areas.
  • Keep porch lights on at night.
  • Don’t approach strangers or let them get close to you.
  • If you think someone is following you, switch directions or cross the street. Go toward an open business or lighted house.
  • Have your house or car keys in hand before you reach your door.
  • Know where campus blue light alarms are and how to use them.
  • If someone tries to rob you, don’t resist. Give up your property, not your life.
  • If you are in a safe place to do so, attempt to get a description of the suspect(s) and any associated vehicles or license plate numbers.

IMMEDIATELY report emergencies or suspicious activities, persons and vehicles. For Public Safety dial 315-443-2224 or #78 (from a cell phone); if you are in a situation where you cannot safely make a phone call, send a text message to 711@syr.edu; for Syracuse Police dial 911. Your quick reporting may help prevent others from becoming victims.

This Public Safety Notice is issued for your safety in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.

Safety Information Regarding Clown Sightings

The Department of Public Safety received a few calls in the past 24 hours reporting “clown” sightings. All were investigated, no evidence of crime was uncovered, no one dressed in such
costumes were found by responding officers, nor was there any video of such persons.

This phenomenon has been reported around the country in social media, newspapers and television, and most cases have been either pranks or false reports. We understand even unsubstantiated reports can make campus community members nervous and concerned. Since we’ve heard from student media, some students and some parents about this issue, we’ve prepared the following Q&A:

What should I know about the clown phenomenon?
• Over the past several weeks, there have been several “creepy clown” sightings reported around the United States, starting in a couple of southern states, and now spreading around the country.
• Some of this is pure “urban legend” activity, many are simply rumors, many are false reports, many are third party reports (my friend told me…), and there are national media reports of a few persons who have been arrested across the nation for wandering neighborhoods dressed as clowns? and other related activity around the country.
• Around the country, there have been creepy clown scares before, in the mid 1980’s after some horror films featured clowns. Recent television shows and films depicting such clowns may have again triggered the prank activities.
• It is important to note that under New York State Law, wearing a costume or mask is not unlawful in itself. Of course, trespassing on someone property, harassing or assaulting someone, or any other act that would constitute a crime, is still a crime when wearing a costume.

What should I do if I actually see someone in a clown mask or costume?:
• You should immediately report to DPS if you are on campus or local police if off-campus, the time and location of the clown sighting, offering as much detail as possible. This would include a description of what the person was doing, the exact time, the direction of travel and if any vehicle was involved. You should stay away from the person, and head in the opposite direction.
• If it is safe to do so and you’re able, take a picture of the suspicious activity and share it with DPS or the Syracuse Police. If you have downloaded the University LiveSafe App (http://www.livesafemobile.com/), you can easily send a photo or video directly to DPS. If you’ve yet to download LiveSafe, this is a perfect opportunity to do that.
• Be prepared to meet with an officer and provide them details about what you witnessed.

What shouldn’t I do?:
• Many reports of clowns around the country have been false reports, and there have been people charged with falsely reporting an incident, so please understand that this is no joke and you can be held accountable both through the courts and through Student Rights and Responsibilities if you file a false claim.
• If you’re thinking that putting on a clown mask and hanging around town might be a funny prank, think again. This type of prank can be very dangerous as people around the country have reacted in a variety of ways to those in clown masks, some even with violence.
• If you see someone in a clown mask / costume, since you don’t know the motives of the person, again it’s best that you report the incident to DPS or Syracuse Police instead of engaging the person. Since wearing a costume is not a crime, any physical attack or harassment on such person could be a crime.

Halloween is around the corner, what should I expect?:
• As Halloween parties and themed events happen, remember that people will wear costumes for some of the events, especially on the weekend prior to Monday, October 31st.
• You should consider your costume carefully and use discretion in your choice, given the current national circumstances regarding clown costumes.