Wrong way crash kills pedestrian and injures police officer; search for driver continues
Officers said a red Buick Verano was speeding the wrong way on Mathews Avenue when it hit a University of Illinois police squad car on Green Street.
Tag: urbana police
73-year-old man reported missing found in Champaign: Police
URBANA — A man reported missing on Thursday was found Friday morning unharmed, according to Urbana Police. An individual who identified herself as the sister of Jimmy Joy, 73, told police she took her brother to Carle Hospital to seek cold and flu treatment and that he was left in the care of the medical
Champaign hired Police Chief Timothy Tyler despite disciplinary past and allegations of misconduct
This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of the Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit public accountability journalism organization, and IPM Newsroom, which provides news about Illinois & in-depth reporting on Agriculture, Education, the Environment, Health, and Politics, powered by Illinois Public Media. This investigation was
Urbana Police will consider hiring non-police staff for mental health, domestic violence calls
URBANA — The Urbana Police Department hired a national consulting firm this year to evaluate how the department works, including how — and if — officers should handle certain types of calls for service. The firm, BerryDunn, has worked with police departments throughout the U.S. to evaluate their processes and offer recommendations. One consideration is
A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability
This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of the Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit public accountability journalism organization, and Illinois Newsroom, which provides news about Illinois & in-depth reporting on Agriculture, Education, the Environment, Health, and Politics, powered by Illinois Public
Update: Police finish sweep of Urbana schools after closure
URBANA – Updated Monday, Nov. 7 at 4:50 PM: Police finished their sweep of Urbana High School and Urbana Middle School after the schools received gun and bomb threats on Monday morning. According to Urbana Criminal Investigations Division Commander Mike Cervantes, police did not find anything suspicious on school premises. Cervantes expects schools to reopen
De-Escalation Techniques Are Part Of New Urbana Police Use Of Force Policy
URBANA – A revised use of force policy for Urbana Police covers 14 pages, instead of the eight pages covered by the old one. And it puts a new emphasis on de-escalating potentially violent situations. Urbana City Council members heard a presentation on the new policy at their Monday night meeting on August 23.
Majority Of Champaign And Urbana Police Live Elsewhere; Effect Of Non-Residency On Community Policing Debated Nationally
The vast majority of police staff members for Champaign and Urbana don’t live in the communities they serve. In Champaign, nearly four out of five police officers live outside the city, despite a one-time $3,000 bonus for living in Champaign. In Urbana, nearly nine out of 10 police officers live outside the city, and there
Champaign And Urbana Police Struggle To Diversify
Despite pledges over the years to diversify the police department, both the Champaign and Urbana police staff have remained overwhelmingly white. In 2014, the police staff in Champaign was 88% white and Urbana’s police staff was 84% white, CU-CitizenAccess reported at that time. Almost seven years later, those numbers are virtually unchanged. In Champaign, 99 out of
Police Reform A Major Issue In Urbana Mayoral Race
URBANA – Racial justice and police reform have been on the minds of Americans across the nation. And they’re a major issue in the race for mayor of Urbana. The three candidates running for the post in the Feb. 23 Democratic primary in Urbana all say they would make change in the city’s police policies.
Outside Review: Aleyah Lewis Arrest Followed Urbana Police Policy
URBANA – The Urbana City Council will hear a presentation Tuesday night on a report from an outside firm which concludes the police officers who arrested Aleyah Lewis followed the Urbana Police Department’s use of force policy. But the study by the firm Hillard Heintze suggested possible revisions to the policy and how the department
Consulting Firm Launches Review Of Aleyah Lewis Arrest
A consulting firm whose founders include former Chicago police chief Terry Hillard is beginning an investigation into the the Urbana police arrest of Aleyah Lewis. Mayor Diane Marlin says she has signed a contract with security risk management firm Hillard Heintze to investigate both the April 10th arrest, and Urbana police operations and policies relevant
Urbana City Council Devotes Special Meeting To Police Concerns
The Urbana City Council spent more than three hours Thursday night looking over police issues with members of the community. But council members have put off a discussion of next steps until July. The meeting, called by three city council members, Jared Miller, Maryalice Wu and Dennis Roberts, featured comments by both community members and
Urbana Civilian Police Review Board Chair Pledges Reform
The new chairman of the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board says he’s committed to fundamental reforms in the panel’s performance. Criticism of police conduct at recent Urbana City Council meetings has included the city’s Civilian Police Review board. At a meeting of the Urbana CPRB Wednesday night, Chairman Mikhail Lyubansky noted a list of criticisms
Police Reform Issues Loom Large Before Urbana City Council
URBANA — A set of shared goals and standards for police and communities of color was approved by the Urbana City Council Monday night. Council members also heard a new proposal for shifting response to mental health emergencies away from the police, and on Tuesday, made last-minute reductions to police spending in the new city