The NYS University Police at Binghamton (UPD) is committed to providing a professional, compassionate, and victim-centered response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence. University Police recognize the significant impact these incidents can have on individuals and understand the importance of ensuring that every person who comes forward is treated with dignity, respect, sensitivity, and care.
The UPD is continually evaluating its practices, training, and procedures to strengthen its response to these incidents, promote accountability, and ensure that victims feel supported throughout the reporting and investigation process. The following initiatives reflect the department’s ongoing efforts to enhance officer preparedness, improve the victim experience, and reinforce confidence in campus law enforcement.
Ongoing Training and Professional Development
Annual In-Service Training
All UPD members participate in annual in-service training designed to maintain and strengthen their knowledge, skills, and professional competencies. Annual in-service training topics include items such as de-escalation techniques, defensive tactics, and this year included additional elective training focused on working with sexual assault and domestic violence victims and coordinating with the campus Care Team and Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) in the local community. This supplemental training provides officers with additional knowledge and practical strategies for responding to sensitive situations, recognizing the dynamics of abuse, communicating effectively with victims, and understanding the barriers that may prevent individuals from reporting abuse or seeking assistance.
Police Academy Training
In addition to ongoing departmental training, all police recruits receive training on sexual assault and domestic violence as part of their initial police academy education. This foundational training establishes an understanding of these issues and the responsibilities of law enforcement when responding to reports of abuse and sexual violence.
Trauma-Informed Training
New York State requires police departments to have at least one member who has received trauma-informed training. Trauma-informed training helps officers understand how trauma may affect a victim’s memory, behavior, emotional responses, and ability to communicate about an incident. UPD has already established a foundation in this area, with five members currently trained in trauma-informed practices. Next month, the department will send an additional five officers to receive this training.
Intimate Partner Violence Training
In December 2026, UPD plans to send five officers to specialized Intimate Partner Violence training. This training will further strengthen officers’ understanding of the complexities of intimate partner violence, including patterns of coercion and control, the challenges victims may face when seeking help, and appropriate law enforcement responses.
Additional Department-Wide Sexual Assault Training
UPD is also actively exploring the opportunity to bring a specialized trainer to campus to provide additional training focused specifically on responding to sexual assault victims. The goal is to make this training available to every member of the department, beyond the foundational training officers receive at the police academy and through annual in-service programs. We would also invite other campus partners to join in this training.
Enhanced Oversight and Accountability
To strengthen accountability, sexual assault reports receive multiple levels of review and attention:
- Initial response and reporting. The responding officer receives the report, documents the information provided, and initiates the appropriate response and investigative steps.
- Supervisory review. The officer’s supervisor reviews the report to assess its completeness, accuracy, and adherence to departmental procedures and applicable requirements.
- Chief’s immediate awareness. The Chief or Assistant Chief of Police is made aware of the report immediately, providing senior-level visibility into the matter from the outset.
This layered approach ensures that sexual assault cases receive appropriate attention and that responsibility for the quality of the response does not rest solely with the initial responding officer.
Improving the Victim Experience and Campus Environment
UPD will be working with the assistance of campus partners and with the expertise of the Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) to create a soft interview/reporting room on campus (outside of UPD) to improve the physical environment in which individuals report sexual assault and receive assistance. A police station may feel intimidating or uncomfortable for someone who has experienced sexual assault. A more welcoming, private, and supportive environment could help reduce anxiety and make it easier for individuals to discuss sensitive experiences and access assistance. The proposed space would be designed to promote privacy, comfort, and dignity while still allowing officers and other campus partners to conduct necessary interviews and document reports appropriately.