DPS News

Keeping Your Property Safe

The predominate type of crime occurring on college campuses is property theft. Syracuse University Department of Public Safety’s annual security report provides tips on how to prevent property theft both on and off-campus:

At Home
1. Equip your front door with a peephole and a dead bolt lock.
2. Be sure all windows have secure frames and locks.
3. Report any maintenance deficiencies that may compromise building security to your resident advisor or landlord.
4. Never hide your door key anywhere outside your residence.
5. Lock your door whenever you leave, even if it is only for a short time.

When Walking
1. Walk in groups of three or more, or contact DPS for a walking escort by calling 315.443.SAFE (7233) or toll-free 1.855.443.7233.
2. Walk only in well-lit areas and avoid shortcuts through poorly lit vacant lots and other deserted places.
3. If you think you are being followed, change direction and head for a well-lit area with other people around.

At All Times
1. Never leave your wallet, purse, or valuables unattended.
2. Immediately report all suspicious persons or activity to DPS.
3. Program DPS’s phone number, 315.443.2224, into your cell phone.
4. Program the DPS Safety Escort phone number, 315.443.SAFE (7233), into your cell phone.
5. If you need to contact DPS in an emergency, but are unable to make a phone call, e-mail or text the Communications Center at 711@syr.edu.

 

Campus Safety Resources

Campus security plays a pivotal role in the daily activities of the entire campus community. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting SAR) Initiative (NSI) offer a cadre of awareness videos and online training’s to assist campus officials in recognizing indicators of terrorism, terrorism-related crime, and suspicious activity and in raising public awareness of potential threats. To review this information, check out the DHS Campus Safety Brochure.

Public Safety Information: Fraudulent Phone Scheme

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

Fraudulent Phone Scheme (Date Issued: 1/13/17)

Please be advised of a recent fraudulent phone scheme. A student received a phone call from an individual claiming to be the FBI. The individual told the student that they owed funds to the IRS. The caller confirmed the student’s personal information, including their SU major. The student was then told that if they did not pay the fees they owed they would be arrested and deported.

Please be aware that the FBI does not make phone calls on behalf of the IRS, nor does the FBI or the IRS conduct business by use of the telephone. Also, please do not give out your personal information if you do not know who is calling you or to an unknown source on the internet.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident or others, please contact 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.

Keep yourself safe by reviewing these suggested safety strategies.

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

New Weather Station Aids in Emergency Weather Preparedness

img_0805Real-time weather data and a live look at the Syracuse University main campus is now available, thanks to a donation from WeatherSTEM. Ed Mansouri, Florida State University alumnus, is the creator of WeatherSTEM. His initial goal for this program was to provide weather stations to K-12 schools with science technology and engineering curricula, but now, many Atlantic Coast Conference universities, including Syracuse University, have received the system as a donation. Read the full article at news.syr.edu.