Joint Effort between the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Division of State Police Will Bring 200 Campus Leaders and First Responders Together

Symposium Comes as Governor Kathy Hochul Continues to Make Public Safety of All New Yorkers a Top Priority

Albany, NY – Nearly 200 professionals from across the state are attending “NY College Public Safety Symposium” – the state’s first-ever symposium of its kind – hosted by the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) and the Division of State Police. Attendees include college public safety, security, and other law enforcement agencies that respond to campus incidents, as well as other staff that interact directly with victims and survivors. Workshops and key speakers will provide information and tools to support them in their response to and prevention of gender-based violence on campus, making sure the needs of student survivors is at the forefront of their work. 

Governor Kathy Hochul has made improving the safety of New Yorkers a top priority during her administration. This includes those who attend and work at colleges and universities, public and private, across the state.

WHO:         Kelli Nicholas Owens, OPDV Executive Director  

                  Steven James, Superintendent, New York State Police 
                  Matthew Stenger, Retired Senior Investigator, NYSP 
                  Don McPherson, Former NFL QB and College Football Hall of Famer,
                  Author, Motivational Speaker

                  Emily Miles, NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault Executive Director

WHEN:            9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2025:  

Opening Remarks – Interviews will be available immediately after

Due to security reasons, members of the media interested in attending are asked to RSVP to jacquie.slater@opdv.ny.gov by 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, 2025.  

WHERE:        New York State Police Academy         

            1220 Washington Ave

            Building #24

            Albany, NY 12206  

CONTACT:   Jacquie Slater, OPDV Director of Public Information 

                   (518) 912-7881 or jacquie.slater@opdv.ny.gov 

The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is the country’s only Cabinet level executive state agency dedicated to the issue of gender-based violence. Follow OPDV on?Facebook,?Instagram?and?X. 

The Division of State Police works to ensure the safety of the state's roadways, prevent and investigate crime, prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters and provide support to other law enforcement agencies. Follow DCJS on?Facebook,?Instagram and?X.