Syracuse University: Government and Community Relations

Neighborhood Safety Patrol

The Neighborhood Safety Patrol (NSP) was formed as an initiative of the University-Community Partnership in September of 1999 between the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) and Syracuse University's Department of Public Safety (DPS), and has been one of the hallmark efforts of the collaboration.

The goal of the program is to obtain a heightened level of cooperation on crime prevention, personal safety and property protection. In support of this common goal, nine local landlords representing the Syracuse Property Owners Association (SPOA) partnered with the existing Neighborhood Safety Patrol in the spring of 2001 to fund a pilot program for enhanced police patrols around the University neighborhood to deter criminal activity and promote resident safety. Upon its inception, the patrol ran only on Friday and Saturday evenings, but with the addition of SPOA, it expanded to include four-hour patrols on Sunday through Thursday evenings, as well.

Statistics show that the NSP has been successful throughout the years in reducing crime in the area. Please click on the link to view them. Additionally, another reference is the latest residential occupancy map with a crime overlay for the period May - August 2009.

If you would like further information about SEUNA, please visit their website.

Neighborhood Safety Patrol Meeting Minutes

Summary by Academic Year

Orange Watch

Orange Watch serves as the eyes and ears in the neighborhood to ensure student safety off-campus. The beauty of this arrangement is that student rental properties will still be under surveillance when students are away on break because of Orange Watch. In the event an incident occurs, Orange Watch calls SPD to respond. This allows the UNSAAC monies to be spent on patrols when students and residents are more active in the neighborhood.

In May 2007, the Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) introduced Orange Watch, providing a new, expanded DPS presence in key areas on the North and South campuses and in neighborhoods north and east of campus. The initiative authorized the department to hire a new corporal and expand DPS peace officers' hours of armed walking, bicycle and vehicle patrol coverage. It supplements DPS' and other law enforcement agencies' current activities in areas frequented by students, faculty and staff.

Orange Watch officers are on patrol throughout the calendar year; the increased presence is most pronounced between the hours of 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. and on weekends -- times when students have the most serious concerns about safety, according to DPS surveys. Officers on Orange Watch have expanded DPS presence in several areas: the entire South Campus and the Hookway Tract and the Lampe Athletics Complex; the Vincent Street and Thurber Street areas between Comstock and East Brighton avenues; North Campus' West lots and the nearby streets to East Genesee Street; and the Thornden Park/East Neighborhood area to Westcott Street. Orange Watch places five additional peace officers and a supervisor on patrol in these areas at night on weekends. As a result, patrols in these areas during these times has increased by nearly 40 percent on weekdays and more than 60 percent on weekends. As they perform their Orange Watch duties, DPS peace officers are highly visible; interact in community building, problem solving and crime prevention; and provide services to students, faculty, staff and residents in need of law enforcement assistance. Peace officers on Orange Watch promote the safety of students who are found walking alone or in small groups; use DPS' radio network to report on any signs of criminal activity or other safety and security concerns; and assist Syracuse Police Department officers on request.

Orange Watch supplements normal police coverage and the existing Neighborhood Safety Patrol (NSP) in the east neighborhood. While the focus of NSP is neighborhood quality of life and safety using primary dedicated patrols by the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) and secondary patrols by SU's Department of Public Safety (DPS) to assist with student-related incidents, the focus of Orange Watch is crime suppression, community service and community policing. Orange Watch patrols are intended to be interactive with the students, to seek out students who might be walking alone and offer them rides to minimize the likelihood of victimization, and to be a clear, visible uniformed presence of the university in the neighborhoods. Residents who experience safety concerns should continue to contact the Syracuse Police Department directly at 442-5222.