Public Safety Notices

Shortly before 11 a.m., Hinds Hall was evacuated due to a small roof fire. Fire and Life Safety Services and the Syracuse Fire Department responded to the scene to assess the damage. They have since completed their inspection and determined it was safe to reopen. As of 12 p.m., Hinds Hall is reopened and has resumed standard operations.

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

With a new semester underway, I am writing today to provide reminders about how to be securing your space and protecting yourself and your property. This is especially important as larcenies, burglaries, vehicle thefts and break-ins are more common when our community members first return to campus.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) are urging the Syracuse University and surrounding communities to be aware of their surroundings and take actions necessary to keep themselves and their property safe. In addition to encouraging vigilance, DPS and SPD have increased presence and patrols on and around campus. We ask our community members, particularly those living in adjacent off-campus neighborhoods, to remain alert for suspicious activity and take the following action to protect themselves and secure their space:

* Always lock your windows and doors – both when you’re home and before you leave your residence.
* 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.
* Lock sliding glass doors and place a wooden dowel or metal bar in the track of the door.
* Lock windows on the ground level of your residence.
* Do not leave any valuable items near windows. Take pictures of anything valuable and ensure that you have installed tracking software (e.g. Find my iPhone) and documented the serial numbers of all electronic devices.
* If you have a security alarm, make sure you turn it on when leaving your residence.
* Always secure your residence, even if you leave for a few minutes.

If you utilize your personal vehicle on and off campus, please:

* Always lock your vehicle.
* Be sure all windows on your vehicle are closed
* Do not leave items in your vehicle and if you do, be sure they are not visible to anyone looking in (e.g. place them in the trunk).
​​​​​​​
If you see anything suspicious on-campus, please call DPS at 315.443.2224 or use the Orange Safe app. For off-campus suspicious activity, call the Syracuse Police Department at 315.442.5111. If you observe an immediate threat to safety, call 911.

As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is a 24/7 operation and always available to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you observe anything concerning. Our recommended safety strategies can be found on our website.

As a follow up to the Public Safety Notice sent a short time ago, the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) is investigating a shooting that occurred off-campus near the 900 block of Madison Street. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to the scene to offer assistance to SPD, who is the lead law enforcement agency. Together with SPD, DPS can confirm there is no physical threat to the Syracuse University community. Please note, there is still an active scene while SPD continues its investigation.

On August 30th, 2024 at approximately 8:14pm, DPS & SPD received a report of gunshots at 901 Madison St. The Department of Public Safety and the Syracuse Police Department are investigating. Stay away from the area until further notice. If you have any information related to this event contact DPS at 315.443.2224. More information to follow.

On Saturday, May 18, 2024, at approximately 6:45 pm, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded to a report of an armed robbery. The victim, a recent graduate of Syracuse University, stated that the incident occurred off-campus outside of 514 Euclid Ave.

The victim reported that he was approached by an unknown suspect who demanded the victim empty his pockets. The victim stated he had nothing in his pockets and showed his empty pockets to the suspect. The suspect then displayed what appeared to be a black handgun and pointed it towards the victim’s feet and demanded the victim hand over his backpack. The victim complied and after taking the backpack, the suspect fled on foot away from campus. The victim left the area, drove to the Syracuse Police Department and reported the incident.

The suspect is described as an adult male wearing a black jacket and a black ski mask covering his face. The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot towards Sumner Avenue from the scene.
The Syracuse Police Department and the Department of Public Safety are continuing to investigate the incident and will provide updates as additional information becomes available

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.

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.