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Members of the Syracuse University Student Association are trying to implement a Good Samaritan policy for drug and alcohol emergencies. Page 3
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dailyorange.com
Central Rock Gym, an indoor rock climbing facility, will celebrate its one-year anniversary in Syracuse this December. The gym includes options for amateur climbers. Page 7
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Syracuse men’s basketball broke out of its scoring slump with an offensive burst against Northeastern. Oshae Brissett led SU in scoring with 26. Page 12
‘Move the needle’
on campus
Hendricks Chapel supports relief trips By Emma Folts staff writer
KENTON BUCKNER, Syracuse’s new police chief, was sworn in Monday at the police station downtown. He said his top priorities are to reduce violent crime and increase the diversity of the police force. dan lyon staff photographer
K
enton Buckner, Syracuse’s new police chief, struggled to find the right words as he took the podium during his swearing-in ceremony on Monday morning. He began to tear up, and Mayor Ben Walsh patted him on the back. Buckner thanked Walsh, Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens and the people of Syracuse for giving him the opportunity to serve as chief. “Law enforcement is the reason why I feel like I’ve always been successful … because I’m doing what God has designed me to do,” said Buckner, who comes to Syracuse with 25 years of law enforcement experience. He said he became emotional after seeing the number of people who attended the ceremony. About 100 police officers, city officials and elected representatives crowded into the atrium of the Public Safety Building downtown. Walsh said Buckner had three qualities that stood out during the candidate interview process: confidence, humility and trust. In his limited time with Buckner, Walsh knew he could trust the chief, he said. Buckner left the Little Rock Police Department in November with a decrease in overall crime and homicides, a more diverse police force and a 21st century policing model that relies heavily on crime statistics. Police officers in Little Rock, Arkansas, said Buckner is a progressive chief who was always pushing himself and his officers to learn new skills and get the best training possible.
New police chief has reputation as a progressive leader By Casey Darnell asst. news editor
“Move the needle forward”
Alice Fulk, an assistant chief at the LRPD, said Syracuse can expect Buckner to develop a plan based on SPD’s strengths and weaknesses. Buckner was “always trying to move the needle forward,” she said. Fulk and other officers teased him about his fastpaced work ethic. “We laughed at him because he would say ‘pump the brakes,’ and he would never pump the brakes,” she said. “The guy does not take a break. He’ll put 150 percent in.” Increasing the diversity of the Little Rock police force was one of Buckner’s main priorities as chief. The most recent recruit class is 15 percent Hispanic, 41 percent black and 44 percent white, according to a press release from Walsh’s office. People of color have also comprised 40 percent of hires, promotions and transfers during his leadership, per a release from Walsh’s office. In the Syracuse Police Department, 89 percent of officers are white and most don’t
live in the city, according to Syracuse.com. “It’s important to be reflective of the community that you serve,” Buckner said in an interview. “When you lack diversity, particularly in a diverse community … it breeds mistrust. I think people are more likely to feel comfortable with police when they can see people who look like them.” At a “Meet the Chief” forum on Nov. 3, the day after Walsh announced his pick for police chief, Buckner said he doesn’t support residency requirements for newly hired officers because it limits the quality of interested candidates. In an interview, Buckner said he supports making recruitment the full-time job of several people. One of Buckner’s plans for increasing diversity in the SPD is to provide “mock situations” where people can complete practice tests to reduce testing anxiety and familiarize themselves with the department. He added police departments across the country have had problems with policing minority communities. “Decision making is stronger when you have a diverse group of people at the table,” he said. Buckner promoted Fulk to Little Rock’s assistant chief in 2015, making her the first woman to hold that position in the department, according to the LRPD’s website. When asked if Buckner could be credited with increasing the diversity of the force, Fulk said, “diversity doesn’t happen by accident.” see buckner page 4
Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel is sponsoring relief trips to Puerto Rico to rebuild and provide aid to communities still recovering after Hurricane Maria devastated the territory 14 months ago. The student volunteers will likely provide supplies, rebuild homes and assist in cleanup efforts as the island’s needs adjust from humanitarian relief to rebuilding, said Baptist Campus Chaplain Devon Bartholomew, in an email. There will be two relief trips in March and May 2019. A third trip was scheduled for Jan. 5-11, but it was canceled due to a shortened timeline, Bartholomew said. The relief efforts will not be localized to a particular area in Puerto Rico, but they will instead be concentrated according to the needs of the community that day. “Needs change every day, and we can’t predict the exact site that we will be working in March or May,” Bartholomew said.
We plan to continue our work to support and assist in the rebuild of Puerto Rico. Devon Bartholomew su baptist campus chaplain
The trips are in partnership with Send Relief, a national disaster relief nonprofit organization. The Baptist chaplaincy has worked with the Christian organization for many years, Bartholomew said. Jonathan Santiago, SU’s former Baptist chaplain, is currently the director of Send Relief’s center in Puerto Rico. “We believe in his work, and we are thankful for his heart [and] for his home,” Bartholomew said. The Baptist chaplaincy has nearly 10 years of experience in disaster relief efforts, Bartholomew said. The chaplaincy has provided aid in the aftermaths of hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, as well as the 2015 Nepal earthquake, among other natural disasters. “After Hurricane Maria, we discussed what role Hendricks Chapel would take in meeting the needs of Puerto Rico,” Bartholomew said. see hurricane page 6