While most of the student body and faculty may be at home for summer break, University Police are still hard at work as they strive to ensure safety for those who remain on campus.
Most recently, UP took watch as students and community members rallied at Sheldon Hall in response to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“We are all saddened and upset that this happened,” UP Interim Chief Kevin Velzy said in an interview with The Oswegonian. “No one watching the videos of what happened agrees with the manner in which the Minneapolis Police officers handled that situation.”
In order to prevent incidents like Floyd’s from happening, all police are required to go through training on an annual basis. Oswego State’s police department conducts training twice a year for firearms and use of force. Such training begins in the police academy with Article 35 of the Penal Law, which governs the use of force by anyone.
Officers are also provided with training in every tool they use, which ranges from handcuffs, pepper spray or batons, passing through hands-on defensive tactics or firearm training.
Policemen are also required to complete classroom time in de-escalation techniques, verbal judo and recognizing implicit bias—when someone has attitudes towards specific people or unconsciously associates individuals with stereotypes.
“In recognizing these unconscious biases, we can work to curb them and where possible slow-down in our decision making to help ensure the decisions made are just,” Velzy said. “There are critics that say this type of training doesn’t help, but I believe it does.”
All officers partake in the same training unless there is otherwise specialized training involved. This may be the case for instructors, investigators, bicycle patrols or ATV police units.
UP has recently gone through training in areas such as domestic violence in the workplace, prevention for discrimination or harassment toward employees and anticipating workplace violence. The mandatory training for SUNY employees takes place on an annual basis.
Should an officer break the rules, they may face a different range of department consequences, such as counselling memos, suspension or termination as well as criminal charges, similar as those faced by the deputies involved in Floyd’s death.
In order to gain the trust of the local community, UP plays a part in various events on campus as are concerts, OzFest, Commencement or sporting events, both on and off-duty.
Specific events include the “Safe Trick or Treat,” different safety days with the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department and Oswego City Fire Department, and an annual Dodgeball Tournament. UP is also instrumental in the school’s No Shave November.
“It’s important that we participate in community events because many of our officers not only work here but live in the area with our children and families,” Velzy said. “We are part of the community, so it only makes sense to help out when we can.”
Velzy issued a statement Tuesday condemning police violence and excess of force. The full statement was issued through the police department’s Facebook page.
“I personally recognize the pain that so many people are going through at this time, and it has been weighing heavily on my mind to assure everyone that the SUNY Oswego University Police Department and all of our members in no way condone the actions of those officers involved in the death of George Floyd,” the statement read. “We are proud of the fact that New York State University Police was one of the first agencies in the nation to have all officers receive training in Implicit Bias, as well as Fair and Impartial Policing furthering our commitment to uphold the rights of all people, yet we must do more.”
Currently, UP are preparing to help out with summer orientation programs and planning for what the Fall semester will look like, Velzy said.
