Yale Police Union Flyer For Incoming Students Blasted By City, PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — The flyer with a grim reaper-like illustration warns —and then wishes "good luck," —Yale students to stay off the streets after 8 p.m., not take public transportation

Produced and distributed by the Yale police union dubbed, “A Survival Guide for First-Year Students of Yale University” lists what it says are guidelines to "survive" New Haven. The flyer reads that both the New Haven and Yale police departments are understaffed and so students are advised to not be outside after dark. The police union claims on the flyer that "after 8 p.m., the streets (downtown) are deserted, and most stores are closed." The Yale Police Benevolent Association flyer cautions students to stay off the streets after 8 p.m., and avoid public transportation, including train travel. Last month, a rare shooting incident happened on a Metro North platform. That incident is cited by the university police union as an example that should students decide to travel by train, they should use "extreme caution."

Distributed during Yale University’s annual move-in day this past weekend, city officials said the flyers are "aimed to create fear and stoke public safety concerns among new students and their families."

Yale University noted in a message Monday that the flyers produced and distributed by the Yale Police Department union, which is in the middle of contract negotiations, "included disturbing and inflammatory rhetoricabout the safety of Yale’s campus and its home city of New Haven, aimed at creating fear among new students and their families."

See a copy of the flyer as featured on Reddit here.

Yale said that as it's "committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, neighbors, and visitors, and we unequivocally condemn the irresponsible and reckless actions of those who chose to spread this inaccurate information."

"Indeed, our campus continues to see a decrease in crime, especially violent crimes," the University noted. "Robberies are down 30 percent compared to last year, and throughout the City of New Haven, robberies and burglaries are also down. The most reported crime on campus is the theft of laptops, cell phones, and motorized scooters left unattended and unsecured."

A news briefing Tuesday was set to "denounce the recent negative flyers created and distributed by the Yale Police Benevolent Association that contained inaccurate and irresponsible information about the safety of Yale’s campus and the City of New Haven."

Mayor Justin Elicker, New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson, Yale Police Chief Anthony Campell, Yale Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Community Engagement Ronnell Higgins, members of the New Haven Board of Alders, and community residents will address the flyers.

Yale told the community that while it "supports the right of union members to rally peacefully, but today’s leafleting both ran counter to the spirit of the day and detracted from the exemplary work performed by Yale Police officers, Public Safety team members, and their partners at the New Haven Police Department."

"Inaccurate and totally offensive," is how Elicker described the flyer at an afternoon news briefing. "You don't promote fear, you don't promote misinformation."

He called the union tactic one that "crosses a line." He said it was at once "an unfortunate and tragically and unbelievably offensive flyer" with "misinformation" designed to "scare Yale students."

Yale Police Chief Anthony Campbell called out the union.

He said he was "appalled that they chose to do it in one of the early steps in union contract negotiations. He said they should not have dragged the New Haven police, the city, into contract negotiations. Campbell said he was, "Disgusted they have chosen to take this path." He called the tactic "fearmongering" and that the union has "brought shame on the Yale Police Department and put a target on our backs."

New Haven Police Department Chief Karl Jacobson said he was there to "speak up for the good officers who work hard every day."

"I was shocked to see that flyer," he said. He said New Haven police, also in contract negotiations, would not "Stoop to that level."