Statement from University Police Chief

The following is a statement from Interim Chief of Police Kevin Velzy, on behalf of all of the men and women of the University Police Department at SUNY Oswego.

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. We pray for justice, as well as pray for peace and continued understanding through open communication and transparency. It is our honor to serve and protect all and hold true to our responsibility as guardians of the community we serve.

We would like to echo the words of President Stanley who just stated on Friday that she called for “all members of our caring SUNY Oswego community to stand together with renewed vigor to channel our pain and outrage into anti-racist action and other forms of positive change that will forever end inequity and the chasms of injustice that divide and defeat us.”

Our mission statement reads: It is the mission of the New York State University Police at Oswego to provide quality law enforcement services to the campus community; to maintain a high standard of personal and professional ethics and constitutional rights; to incorporate law enforcement personnel as part of the educational process at SUNY Oswego; to embrace the importance of consultation, teamwork, and open discussion with campus constituencies on law enforcement and related safety matters; and to appreciate and value diversity on campus.

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. We will continue to participate in campus and community events whenever possible in our efforts to build trust and understanding. We must work together for the safety of all. Time alone will not heal these wounds and we must put forth an effort to grow and learn together as one cohesive community.

-- Interim Chief of Police Kevin Velzy and the men and women of the SUNY Oswego University Police Department