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Craig Stone, Syracuse University’s associate vice president and chief of campus safety and emergency management services, addressed questions about the recent cancellation of a speaker event at Tuesday’s Community Review Board forum. The forum was held in-person at Falk College and online via Zoom.

Diane Grimes, an associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies, first brought up the cancellation of the Middle Eastern studies teach-in for Palestine that SU canceled on Oct. 31. Grimes asked Stone about the Department of Public Safety’s policy on canceling speaker events due to safety concerns.

In response, Stone said he was not given proper notice about the event. He said two weeks would constitute proper notice for events that are open to large groups.

“I can share with you that I was approached by one of the individuals that was involved in the planning and was concerned about safety. I was only given actually less than a day’s notice (with) regards to this concern,” Stone said. “Based on that limited information, it was best not to hold that event (and) put people in danger.”

Lael Pierce, assistant director of fraternity and sorority affairs, wrote in the Zoom chat that though she understands the need to give notice of events, she doesn’t think two weeks is “feasible” when major world events are happening.

Stone responded that he believes there are systems in place to reserve space for events on campus.

“I don’t want to get into a debate on one particular incident, but we are responsible for the safety of all students, all staff, all faculty,” Stone said. “We’ve got to make sure it is safe for everybody.”

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Stone also said DPS is looking into changing its body camera policy related to the cameras’ “pre-event buffering mode,” which dictates how much footage is stored before a body camera is actually turned on by an officer.

Body cameras can store pre-event footage of between 30 and 120 seconds in 30-second increments before being activated, he said. When pre-event buffering mode is activated, the footage recorded before the camera is turned on will be included in the final video clip.

DPS body cameras currently use the manufacturer’s standard of 30 seconds of pre-event buffering, Stone said. Based on discussions with DPS personnel and DPS’ accreditation manager, Stone said the 30-second period is commonplace compared to other institutions.

After meetings with Stone, DPS’ command staff recommended an increase to 60 seconds considering incidents with police that have happened throughout the U.S., Stone said.

Onondaga County Sheriff Tobias Shelley confirmed along with Onondaga County Chief Police Deputy Matthew Fischer on Oct. 3 that the county sheriff’s office is reviewing its body camera policy after a deputy shot and killed two teenagers on Sept. 6. The deputy, John Rosello, did not turn on his dash or body camera after approaching the teenagers, who then fled.

The Students of Color Advisory Committee, a group created in 2018 to provide student feedback on campus safety and DPS operations, recommended that DPS extend the buffering period to the maximum of 120 seconds.

Stone said all DPS officers do a “good job” of activating their body-worn cameras when required, but the unpredictability of police work can mean that officers forget to turn them on.

He pointed out that increasing the pre-buffering event window could slightly drain the camera’s batteries, but a longer window could give more context to events and could catch footage of events as they happen.

Kathleen Pabis, DPS commander of residential safety and security, provided an example of a time when the retroactive footage helped her stop a hit-and-run. When a car hit the DPS car she was sitting in and then drove away, she turned on her lights, which automatically activated her body camera, Pabis said.

Stone also shared that DPS is currently in the self-assessment phase of attaining advanced distinction from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

DPS is already accredited by CALEA, but to earn this further certification, it is adding and revising several of its standard operating procedures, including recruitment, selection and career development.

While the 11 SU community members who make up the CRB are responsible for reviewing prospective DPS standard operating procedures and can offer recommendations on them, Stone makes the final decision on changes to procedures, said Mary Kiernan, chair of the CRB and associate professor in Falk College.

To attain the advanced distinction, DPS must be in compliance with 461 mandatory standards and meet at least 80% of the non-mandatory standards, Stone said.

As part of this progress, Stone said DPS recently sent two female officers to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Women’s Leadership Institute, a weeklong training in Saratoga Springs, New York. DPS will also send four supervisors to a local leadership training sponsored by the FBI in 2024, he said.

“Having a standard is one thing, but then we have to demonstrate compliance,” Stone said.

Published on November 14, 2023 at 10:48 pm

Contact Claire: charri39@syr.edu