Reporting Crimes to Campus Safety
Call 911 if you witness a crime.
Report any unusual or suspicious activity to our non-emergency line: (315) 498-2478
Report any unusual or suspicious activity to our non-emergency line: (315) 498-2478
Provide as much information about a suspect or vehicle as possible:
Suspect
- Approximate age
- Clothing
- Gender
- Hair color
- Ethnicity
- Weapons- if any
Vehicle
- Year, make & model
- Color
- License plate number
- Direction of travel
Personal Safety Tips
Always be alert and aware of your surroundings
- "If You See Something, Say Something".
- Protect your property - never leave personal belongings unattended, and secure your vehicle and valuables.
- Tell a friend or family member where you will be and when you will return.
- Use the OCC Department of Campus Safety as a meet-up spot to buy and sell online items.
- Walk-in groups of two or more.
- Wear only one earbud or headphone when walking or riding your bike.
- Use well-traveled, well-lit routes.
- Be observant of your surroundings at all times.
- Be aware of the OCC Blue-Light Emergency Call Boxes and where they are on your route.
- Walk confidently and with purpose at a steady pace.
- If you do get into trouble, attract attention to yourself in any way you can.
- Add OCC Department of Campus Safety phone number into your cell phone.
Emergency: 911; Non-emergency: 315-498-2478.
Be psychologically prepared to protect yourself
- If you ever feel uncomfortable in a situation or with a person, remove yourself from that situation.
- Be assertive by enforcing your own rights.
- Don’t be predictable. This way, you can avoid someone learning your routines and using them against you.
- Don’t be afraid to cause a scene if you feel threatened.
Residence Halls
- Get to know your neighbors so you can help each other out.
- Don't leave valuable items out in the open.
- Don’t advertise that you will not be in your room for extended periods of time.
- You are responsible for your guests and their actions.
- Always lock your door when you’re asleep or not in the room, even if you’re only gone for a moment.
- Do not tamper with any locking mechanisms anywhere.
- Do not let others follow you into your building.
- Report any burnt out lights, vandalism, malfunctioning locks, etc. to RAs / RHDs.
- Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
- Don’t open the door for someone if you don’t already know who they are.
- Never prop doors open.
- Take photos of valuable items and record serial numbers.
- If anything seems unsafe or out of the ordinary in your room, go to a safe place and call Campus Safety.
Online Social Networking
- Remember that anything you put on social media, or any other site can be seen by anyone with an internet connection.
- Do not put your address, residence hall, room number, contact information, etc. on your personal page.
- Do not put anything you would not want your family or boss seeing on your personal page.
Dating
Always put your safety first. Call 911 anytime you feel uncomfortable or fearful.
- Always seek consent, listen to your partner’s response, and respect their decision to say “no.”
- Communicate your intentions and know what you are comfortable with.
- Drink responsibly and only if you are 21 or older. Remain within your comfort level when it comes to consumption.
- End calls, dates or texting whenever you feel uncomfortable.
- Know the boundaries and privacy of others and respect them.
- Take the relationship at your pace.
- Use your transportation to and from any date.
Online dating safety tips
- Avoid putting too many personal details on your profile.
- Do not give out your full name, reveal where you live or work until you feel comfortable.
- Search yourself online to ensure your data and photos are not public.
- Use unique photos for your dating profile.
- Consider a Voice Number instead of your number.
- Get to know the person you are messaging before meeting in person.
- Know the policies and safety guidelines for each app or site you use. Notice when your location is shared and with whom it's shared.
- Meet in a public place or with a group of friends.
- Require all residence hall visitors to check in at the front desk and provide ID.
- Tell friends or family about your plans: where you are going, what time you expect to return, and the name of the person you're meeting.
- Try "reverse image searching" to verify someone's profile pictures.
- Understand that you can end the date at any time.
At Parties or Group Functions
- Don’t leave a party with someone you don’t know well.
- Alcohol and drugs limit your ability to make good decisions.
- Be mindful when accepting an invitation to someone’s residence or when inviting someone to your own.
- Communicate clearly your personal boundaries.
Transportation
Bike Security:
- Always lock your bike to a bicycle rack.
- Secure the U-lock through the bike frame, the rear wheel and the bicycle rack.
Public Transportation / Ride Sharing:
- Wait at well-lit bus stops.
- Be aware of your surroundings while waiting for the bus.
- Let the bus driver know of suspicious activity or harassment on the bus.
- If it appears someone from the bus is following you, make yourself as visible as possible to others by making noise.
- Be alert.
- Double-check your pick-up vehicle information.
- Ask drivers the name and the name of the person they are supposed to pick up.
- Ensure the license plate number and driver name matches the confirmation screen.
- Keep personal identifying information private.
- Make sure your drive matches the route to get to your destination.
- Share your location with a friend or family member.
- Ride in the back seat with your seat belt on.
- Wait in well-lit areas or indoors if possible.
- Call 911 if you need assistance during your ride.
Avoid scams
- Use personal or encrypted WiFi when logging into websites.
- Do not accept checks in exchange for cash.
- Do not pay others with gift cards or wire transfers.
- Never share personal information (ex. - birthdate, bank or credit card accounts or numbers, Social Security number)