Orange Safe App

Orange Safe App

Download the free Orange Safe app today at the Apple App store or Google Play store.

Syracuse University students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download Orange Safe, a free app which provides a number of tools designed to keep you safe. With Orange Safe, users can stay connected and receive important campus notifications, communicate with campus safety, and gain access to resources needed most.

Features of the App Include:

  • Easy Emergency Communications: With a push of a button, you can directly connect to 9-1-1 for off-campus emergencies or DPS in an on-campus emergency. Utilize the chat feature to quickly communicate with our team of dispatchers 24/7, 365 days a year.
  • Mobile BlueLight: While you are on campus, tap the button to simultaneously send your location to and call the DPS Emergency Communications Center (ECC). The DPS ECC will receiving your location in real-time and talk to you on the phone. If you cannot use the phone feature, you can initiate a chat with the ECC.
  • Safe Walk: Send your location in real-time to a friend so they can watch you as you walk to your destination. They’ll watch you and can trigger a call to emergency services if necessary. It is as simple as sending a text message to a family or friend and they will be sent a link used to follow you. Once you reach your destination, you can simply disconnect. 
  • Tip Reporting: Prevent dangerous situations by submitting a tip—anonymously or associated with your profile—and have real-time chat interactions with a member of the DPS dispatch team. This way, dispatchers and police can get the information they need about suspicious behavior, unsafe situations, or crimes and you can be sure the issue is being reported without drawing attention from those around you. The app allows you to text suspicious activity to DPS, using photos or video.
  • Social Escape: Get out of a tough social situation by receiving a call and giving you an excuse to leave. It is as simple as entering your phone number in the app and setting how quickly you want to receive the phone call.
  • Be Prepared with Emergency Plans: Do you know what to do in the event of an emergency on campus? Be prepared by reviewing our emergency plans!
  • Safety Toolbox: This section includes links to important safety related resources as well as the “I’m OK!” feature which will send your location and a message indicating that you are okay to a recipient of your choosing.
  • Push Notifications: Orange Safe offers a seamless notification process in the event of an emergency. In extreme circumstances, phone lines may prevent some messages from going through quickly; Orange Safe’s push notifications allow you to get the message almost instantaneously, even if you don’t have cellular service, such as in the basement of a building. (Wi-Fi access would be necessary.)
  • Quick Access to Support Resources: Beyond being able to contact DPS or 911 with the touch of a button, you can also access important phone numbers and websites for safety and wellness resources—on campus and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

The application is available for use by all current Syracuse University students, faculty and staff who have a University net ID and password.

No. Your privacy is of the utmost importance. You can only be located if you have asked for help. Orange Safe's location information is only enabled when you choose to make an emergency call or when you use the On Campus BlueLight feature.

No, DPS does not have the ability to track or monitor the location of the app users. Any voluntary location that is shared will only be available during that specific call or chat session.

Yes, the Safe Walk feature in Orange Safe allows you to send your location in real-time to a friend so they can watch you as you walk to your destination! They will watch you and can trigger a call to emergency services if necessary. They do not need the Orange Safe app to watch you. You will be able to send them a link via text.

When using the safety timer, the user will receive a reminder text message 5 minutes before expiring. If it expires, a message immediately goes to your chosen guardian(s) and they can call your cell phone.

Yes, when you "Submit a Tip to DPS," you are not required to enter any of your personal information, just the details of the tip you are submitting. Additionally, when you "Chat with DPS" your conversation is anonymous. When you "Chat with DPS" you will not be able to submit photos or videos like you can when you "Submit a Tip to DPS."

Tips submitted are monitored 24/7 by the dispatchers in our Emergency Communications Center. In case DPS requires further information on any tips, dispatchers will follow-up and live chat with the user. Please do not submit emergency requests through the app, please call us at 315.443.2224.

We recommend that you allow notifications from the Orange Safe app. This will alert you about important safety information.

Yes, the Submit Tips feature works whether you are on or off campus; however, if you have an emergency at an off-campus location, you should dial 9-1-1. If you send a tip that is not on campus, the information will be forwarded to the off campus law enforcement agency.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) and AppArmor (the app's developer) take user privacy extremely seriously. By default, at no time will this app collect your personal data. However some features may have been modified to collect personal information to better ensure your safety. These features are clearly marked in-app; if it doesn't say so, the feature won't collect personal information. If you don't feel comfortable sending specific information to DPS, avoid using that feature.

If collected, at no time will your information be shared with any third parties.

Bias Incident Reports

Hate speech and other bias-related incidents will be posted to this page within 48 hours. However, to prevent jeopardizing active investigations, there may be instances where it takes longer than 48 hours to post. Reports made via the STOP Bias website will only be referred to the Department of Public Safety if the reporter chooses or if the nature of the incident requires DPS involvement.

This page will be your trusted source of accurate and reliable information as it relates to bias incidents.

Most Recent Bias Incident Report:

Department of Public Safety Investigating Bias Incident at Lawrinson Hall

    The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is investigating a bias incident reported at Lawrinson Hall. On Saturday, December 7, at approximately 3:36 p.m., DPS officers responded to a report from two students regarding a bias-related incident that occurred earlier that day. The students reported that at around 1:30 a.m., an unknown individual or individuals wrote a racial slur on the whiteboard outside their room door.

    Officers met with the affected students to gather information, document the incident, and offered support resources and services. DPS officers reviewed security camera footage and building access records and gathered information from residents in the area. The investigation is ongoing, and officers are pursuing all available leads. At this time, there is no suspect information available.

    “This hateful conduct has no place in our community and directly contradicts the values we uphold at Syracuse University,” said Chief Mike Bunker. “We take incidents like this extremely seriously and are committed to conducting a thorough investigation. We urge anyone with information about this incident to come forward immediately. Our focus now is on supporting those impacted and holding those responsible for this conduct accountable.”

    Anyone with information about this incident should contact DPS at 315.443.2224. Anonymous tips can be reported to DPS through the Silent Witness tool or the Orange Safe mobile app. To report a bias incident or to receive support, visit the Stop Bias website or email stopbias@syr.edu.

    Additionally, if you or someone you know has been affected by a bias incident, resources are available.

    Past Bias Incident Reports:

    Visit our updated investigative tracker and archive of all past bias incident reports.

    Orange Alert

    Orange ALERT is Syracuse University’s crisis notification system, designed to provide rapid notification and instruction to SU students, faculty and staff, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students in the event of a crisis in progress — an instance in which there is immediate threat of physical harm to members of the campus community.

    When activated, ORANGE ALERT uses e-mail, text messaging, push notifications from the Orange Safe app, social media networks and cell/landline phone calls to send a brief notice about the situation and instructions of what to do.

    A typical message might read: “There is a (type of crisis) on campus at (a specific location); evacuate the area immediately and remain away until further instructed.”

    After the ORANGE ALERT message, more detailed follow-up information is provided through  the University’s website, e-mail, phone, and campus radio and television resources, among others.

    ORANGE ALERT contact information for students, faculty and staff is drawn from the MySlice online information system.

    To review and/or modify your contact information:

    If you are a Syracuse University student or staff or faculty member, go to MySlice, log in using your NetID and Password, select Student Home or Employee Home depending on your primary affiliation with Syracuse University, select the Personal Profile tile, select “Orange Alert Contacts” from the navigation menu, and then review your information.

    If you need to add, update, or delete contact information, select the “Contact Details” from the navigation menu. Utilize the “Orange Alert Private Phone” feature to add a secondary/emergency contact (i.e. parent, spouse, sibling, etc.) to receive alerts.

    If you are an ESF student, use the ESF emergency contact information page to update your information.

    Questions about Orange Alert? Check out our FAQ below. 

    Who decides when an ORANGE ALERT message is to be sent?

    Department of Public Safety command staff  determine the circumstances in which the system is used and then initiate the process. The system is used for crisis situations in which there is immediate threat of physical harm to members of the campus community.

      How do I know I’m receiving an ORANGE ALERT message?

      “ORANGE ALERT” will be in the subject line of an e-mail and will be vocalized in a phone message. The Caller I.D. on a phone call from ORANGE ALERT will appear as 888-286-1252; similarly, a text message will appear from the number 226787 or 67283; you may want to program these numbers into your wireless device as “SU ORANGE ALERT.”

      When I receive a text message, will I get charged?

      Standard text messaging rates apply, depending on your mobile phone service plan.

      When will my subscription to ORANGE ALERT be deactivated?

      When there is a change in your affiliation with SU or SUNY-ESF (for students-graduation; for faculty/staff-change in employment status), you will be removed from the ORANGE ALERT system.

      Safety Strategies

      Members of the Syracuse University community can take some simple steps to ensure their safety on and around campus. Here are a few tried-and-true strategies for enhancing your personal physical safety:

      Never walk alone. While your chances of being a victim of a crime are actually very low, most street crime incidents occur at night and usually involve students walking alone or with just one other person.

      Walk in groups of three or more, especially after dark. If that’s not possible, use the campus bus system or the safety escort services provided by Parking and Transportation Services (PTS). Either a campus shuttle or the PTS shuttle escort services will get you home safely.

      More safety tips:

      • Download the Orange Safe app, which acts as a “mobile blue light” that allows users to connect with the Emergency Communications Center at the touch of a button.
      • Always lock your windows and doors, even if you are only going to be away from your room for a short period of time.
      • Ensure car windows and doors are locked/secured. Do not leave valuable items in your vehicle that can be easily seen.
      • Pay attention to your surroundings and maintain your personal space. Don’t wear headphones or earbuds!
      • Keep your stuff with you! Never leave cell phones, laptops, wallets or other valuables behind – it only takes a few seconds for someone to walk away with them!
      • Follow the rules of the road when walking across the street or bicycling/skate boarding near campus. Wear a helmet!
      • If a person moves inside your comfort zone, move away. If that person persists, run.
      • When on the street, walk facing oncoming traffic – a person walking with traffic can be followed or forced into a car more easily than a person walking against traffic.
      • Be alert when leaving stores or a shopping mall. This is a time when criminals know you are carrying cash, credit cards, and/or valuable merchandise.
      • Report lost or stolen ID cards to ID card services or DPS.
      • Place your name or an identifiable mark in your textbooks.
      • Never volunteer information over the phone or the Internet to someone you don’t know. If someone calls demanding money, you should instantly be suspicious.
      • Use a U-bolt locking device for your bicycle and register your bike with DPS.

      • Rideshare safely, remember SAMI: Stop, Ask, Match, Inform.

      Remove as many opportunities for crime to occur as possible. One of the best ways of doing this is to report any suspicious activity you see.

      If something doesn’t look right or feel right, call us at 315.443.2224. That number will be answered at any time of the day or night, 365 days a year.