Comfort in a crisis: Two therapy dogs join UIPD
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – Therapy K9s Lollipop and Winston will be making their debuts on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus this spring to help in crisis situations, in outreach programming and to comfort students who are dealing with high levels of stress or anxiety. The two therapy dogs joined the University of Illinois Police Department’s Community Outreach and Support Team after they and their human handlers completed the Paws and Stripes training program through the Brevard County (Florida) Sheriff’s Department. Lollipop and Winston are the department’s second and third therapy dogs after U. of I. Police Chief Alice Cary brought K9 Archie [...]
‘Party patrol’ continues its work to keep campus healthy
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – As students return to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus for the spring semester, the University of Illinois Police Department’s “party patrol” will resume its work to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. UIPD’s party patrol is a group of Student Patrol officers and police officers who have been specially assigned to respond to calls of parties in the Campustown area. They are responsible for making sure campus community members’ social gatherings are in compliance with public health regulations and campus mandates. Although the Illinois Department of Public Health recently upgraded Region 6 (which includes Champaign [...]
Officers take on new challenges and new danger related to COVID-19
URBANA, Illinois – Like many people in 2020, Officer Michelle Kaeding has a new work routine. Every morning after her patrol shift briefing, Kaeding loads some new equipment into her squad car – extra face masks, surgical gloves and hand sanitizer. She sprays the entire interior of the SUV with a special disinfectant. And then for good measure, she wipes down the more frequently touched areas. At least a few officers and potentially some community members will be in and out of that vehicle throughout the day, and she wants to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 – including herself and [...]
UIPD releases annual ‘Year In Review’ report with crime stats, more
URBANA, Illinois – The University of Illinois Police Department on Friday published its “Year In Review” annual report looking back at crime trends and department information for the 2019-2020 school year. The full report is available at demo.ips2.clanincreative.com/YearInReview. The report this year was specifically tailored to answer questions raised by community members in the wake of demonstrations that erupted across the country this summer, throwing policing into a national spotlight. Since that time, UIPD has received numerous questions about its policies, arrest demographics and budget expenditures. In the interest of transparency, that information was included for the first time in the [...]
One arrested in human trafficking scheme
URBANA, Illinois – A man was arrested Friday night after police were alerted to a kidnapping scheme involving at least one adult victim. A 27-year-old New York man was arrested for aggravated kidnapping and forcible detention. He is being held at the Champaign County Jail. The man is alleged to have demanded that the parents of their adult son pay a ransom for his release. University of Illinois Police learned Friday afternoon that a meeting to exchange custody of the 25-year-old victim for money was to occur in the early evening at a gas station in the 1800 block of [...]