U. of I. Police officer gets unique certification as drug expert
URBANA – Officer Ryan Snow has joined an exclusive group of Illinois police who are certified as drug recognition experts, and he hopes the distinction will help to deter impaired driving and drug use on campus. The program is sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Snow’s participation in more than 200 hours of training means he now has an exceptional sense of when someone is under the influence of drugs. The program was originally created to deter impaired driving by increasing the likelihood that people who drive under [...]
Q&A: Bomb squad commanders play mediator in stressful job
On Friday, U. of I. Police Lt. Steve Trame will hand over command of the local bomb squad to Sgt. Aaron Landers. The unique squad is one of only 12 in Illinois and consists of three bomb technicians from U. of I. Police and three from Champaign Police. It serves a 13-county region in east-central Illinois, and all the techs are deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service so they can respond to calls anywhere in the country. It is part of a nationwide network of bomb squads, which are heavily funded by the federal government. Lt. Trame is retiring in [...]
Video: More than 1,000 students wait in line for hours
https://youtu.be/3sdO5ZBdnkw URBANA — Why did more than 1,000 Illinois students wait in line for hours to hear Vice President Joe Biden speak about sexual assault? Because it is up to all of us to end sexual assault at Illinois. Listen to their responses for yourself, and then take the pledge at ItsOnUs.org.
Biden says it’s ‘within our power to end sexual assault’
URBANA – Accountability was the main theme when Vice President Joe Biden spoke to Illinois students on Thursday – there’s no excuse for sexual assault to continue, he said, and it’s on everyone to make a difference. Biden visited campus as part of the student-driven It’s On Us campaign, which puts a heavy emphasis on bystander intervention and accountability when it comes to stopping sexual assault. In advance of Biden’s comments, Student Body President Mitch Dickey said students collaborated with the Women’s Resource Center, the Office of the Dean of Students and others to engage campus “in a way that [...]
U. of I. Police seeking a part of its past
URBANA – U. of I. Police are looking for a long-lost piece of their history, and they are reaching out to the public for help finding it. The shoulder patch pictured above is believed to be the first patch U. of I. Police officers attached to their uniforms. Over the years, police shoulder patches have become an integral part of uniforms and even a highly-sought item for collectors. They have also become a part of police departments’ histories and tradition, and U. of I. Police would like to put their first patch on display at the U. of I. Public [...]