Syracuse University

Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Council 82 Union

February 27, 2020

Kent Syverud, Chancellor and President

Syracuse University
Crouse-Hinds Hall, Suite 600
900 Couth Crouse Ave
Syracuse, NY 13244

Re: Department of Public Safety Officers

Dear Chancellor Syverud,

Recent events occurring at Syracuse University (SU) and the response to those
events have compelled us, the officers working in the University’s Department of Public
Safety (DPS), to reach out to you. We would like to set the record straight.

The movement known as “#NOTAGAINSU” has fabricated a negative image of

the DPS that is not only totally inaccurate, but also completely contrary to the purpose of
the DPS. The DPS officers work around the clock, 365 days a year, often in shifts
running over 18 hours a day, to keep the SU community safe. We stand by the DPS
mission and vision to maintain a safe, secure learning and living environment on the SU
campus and in the areas surrounding the campus.

However, events over the past several weeks such as what occurred recently at
Crouse-Hinds Hall have made it difficult for the DPS to maintain its mission. This is not
because the events occurred, but rather because SU has prohibited the DPS officers from
carrying out our duties during these events. At Crouse-Hinds Hall for example, DPS was
acting at all times under the orders of yourself and senior administrators for SU regarding
how to handle the protest. At no time did any DPS Administrators or officers make any
decisions for how to handle the protest.

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 Further, parents of students involved in #NOTAGAINSU wrote a letter attached
hereto providing a false portrayal of what took place at Crouse-Hinds Hall (See
Attachment 1). Contrary to the letter, students occupying Crouse-Hinds Hall were free to
leave at any time. In fact, they were asked to leave several times and not to occupy the
building whatsoever. The DPS officers on duty were verbally abused and had food and
other items thrown at them. Some students used physical force and pushed officers as
they were trying to secure the building. Other students depicted in a photograph attached
hereto directed a poster at one of our African American officers which stated “Our worst
fear a Coon.” (See Attachment 2). The attached video link even shows students using
force against the DPS Chief where he had to resort to his training utilizing weapons
retention techniques because students were touching his firearms and attempting to
disarm him. [1] This type of behavior by the students demonstrates a depraved
indifference to law and order and has created not only an unsafe work environment for
the officers, but also an unsafe environment for the SU community as well.

The DPS officers are continually attending trainings and kept up to date on trends
within the policing world and communities in order to make us the best officers we can
be. For example, on November 22, 2016, the DPS officers attended the training “Implicit
Bias” presented by Dr. Bryant Marks. [2] On July 11, 2019, the DPS officers attended the
training by the Learner’s Group, LLC called “Moving Beyond Unconscious Bias”
presented by Rodney Patterson (President & CEO) and Lisa Summerour (Senior VP of
Consulting Services). More recently, the DPS officers attended a training presented by
SU Assistant Professor of Religion, Biko Mandela Gray, called “Policing: Past, Present
& Future.” The DPS officers welcomed Professor Gray to present this training. However,
Gray has been actively vocal with the students involved in #NOTAGAINSU on his
twitter feed (@BikoMandelaGray) making such comments as:

“I never, ever, EVER want to hear ‘build trust between communities and law
enforcement’ again. If you’re one of the #Notallcops people, I don’t want to hear
it. We’re literally watching the formation of a police state occur.” [3]

The message Gray is tweeting contradicts the training he presented to the DPS and only
serves to destroy the bridges we have tried to build between the DPS and the SU
community.

In short, the lack of respect towards law enforcement being fostered by SU is

tragic. Such behaviors if they occurred outside of SU, would no doubt result in arrests
being made. The DPS officers can no longer tolerate being treated this way. To allow
students to continue to behave this way without understanding that there could be serious
consequences or repercussions only serves to create a hostile and volatile environment at
SU that needs only a proverbial match to be stricken to cause an explosion. To ignore
such student behavior or by allowing it to continue unchecked rises to the level of gross
negligence. We implore you to allow the DPS officers to do their jobs to keep SU and
ourselves safe. As always, we stand with our Chief and remain ready to follow his
decisions and orders.

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 Respectfully submitted,
The SU DPS Officers Union,
Local 432 of the NYS Law
Enforcement Officers Union
Council 82, AFSCME, AFL-CIO

Related Sources:

[1]. Students attempting to push and disarm DPS Officer:

<https://twitter.com/TayaraRomero/status/1229818879221870592?s=20>

[2]. Mbuqe, Ellen (2016). Law Enforcement Officers Take Part in Training on Implicit
Bias. Syracuse University News.
< https://news.syr.edu/blog/2016/11/23/law-enforcement-officers-take-part-in-training-
on-implicit-bias-33328/>

[3]. Biko Mandela Gray (Feb 18).

<https://twitter.com/BikoMandelaGray?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%
7Ctwgr%5Eauthor>

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Attachment 1: Not Again SU Parents Letter

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 Attachment 2: Crouse-Hinds Hall Protest
Below is a sign directed at an African American DPS Officer working the protest
made by the SU Students.

Coon
noun \ ˈkün \
Definition of coon
1 : RACCOON
2 offensive —used as an insulting and contemptuous term for a black person

Source: 2020 Merriam – Webster, Incorporated < https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/coon>