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As warmer months approach, the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) is stepping up its efforts to keep downtown safe — and Chief Mark Rusin says the work starts well before any problems arise.
According to CNY Central, Rusin says open communication with local businesses is the foundation of the department's strategy. "We have great working relationship with the Downtown Committee," he said. Business owners and major stakeholders inform SPD of upcoming events in advance, giving officers time to plan. High-profile occasions like Syracuse University's Parents Weekend are among the events regularly flagged for the department.
The chief says SPD has also sharpened its understanding of how crowds behave at different times of night. "We've really changed our footprint over the last few years," Rusin said, noting key differences between the 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. crowd and those out between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.
One concern the chief highlighted involves informal "block parties" — gatherings where people openly carry alcohol in parking lots after bars close. Rusin says the gatherings themselves aren't the biggest worry. "It leads to them lingering in the parking lots. It leads to them getting into a car after drinking alcohol," he said. "It leads to a secondary problem that is the big problem that we're looking to address."
He noted these situations have not been a major issue recently, but the department is keeping watch. If things escalate, SPD has the option to quickly call in the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department or New York State Police for backup. "It's always a fluid situation," Rusin said. "Luckily we don't have to do that often."
Rusin described the department's overall approach as "preventative," aiming to get ahead of problems rather than react to them. Anyone who spots suspicious or dangerous activity downtown is urged to report it to police immediately.