Syracuse University's Department of Public Safety is firing back after they were put under review by the chancellor over the handling of last week's student protests at Crouse Hinds Hall.

On Monday, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced SU was bringing in former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to conduct a review of DPS, following accusations of racial profiling and mistreatment of student protesters.

On Thursday, the union representing DPS released a letter to the chancellor, saying they want to set the record straight.

The letter explains that during the last few weeks of protests, "DPS was acting at all times under the administration's orders for how to handle the protest. At no time did any DPS Administrators or officers make any decisions for how to handle the protest."

The union also outlines several cases of harassment and abuse that officers were subjected to during the protests at Crouse Hinds Hall. In one case, they say students were attempting to disarm an officer.

Another instance included derogatory comments against an African-American officer. Others allegedly had food and other items thrown at them by students.

The union says that students behaving this way outside campus would have been arrested.

The statement describes the behavior as demonstrating a depraved indifference to law and order. They say it has created an unsafe work environment for the officers, but also an unsafe environment for the SU community as well.

The union is now calling on the chancellor to stop ignoring students' behavior and to allow officers to do their jobs. 

The university has not yet commented on the statement from DPS.