As part of ongoing campus-community partnerships, officers from the City of Oswego Police and University Police departments performed their annual Welcome Back patrol to welcome and connect with off-campus students.

The friendly outreach, which took place Aug. 24 and 25, focuses on the first, third and fifth wards, where a majority of off-campus students in Oswego live.

“Throughout the outreach, we were able to speak with many students either at their residence or walking through the neighborhoods,” said Sgt. Justin D'Elia of the Oswego City Police Department. “Each student was given a pamphlet containing information on being respectful in the neighborhoods as well as conduct that draws police attention. The students we spoke with seemed receptive of the information and were able to ask any questions they had.”

Ongoing efforts

In addition, University Police recently appointed Officer Kelly Thompson as its community programs officer. She will be active in all types of educational and community building programs for the SUNY Oswego community, and will act as a liaison between the police department and student, faculty and staff organizations.

“Look for her at more regular tabling events in the Marano Campus Center, our upcoming ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event in the Lake Effect Café, and many other activities and programs to better communicate and connect with the people we serve on a daily basis,” said Kevin Velzy, assistant chief of University Police.

On an ongoing basis, the Campus-City Relations Committee, composed of city and campus representatives, coordinates countless other efforts to facilitate connections and understanding between students and year-round residents.

For example, a special College Night at the Oswego Farmers Market on Thursday, Aug. 30, welcomes students to this popular weekly activity on West First Street in downtown Oswego. For this week's event, shuttle buses will run from Marano Campus Center every half hour to the market between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.