The University of Illinois Police Department is here to keep you safe, and it provides a number of different services that can help you while you are on campus. This month, we’re speaking with Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Craig Stone to talk about what the police department does, and how you can ask for help if you ever need it. Q: What services does the university police department provide to keep the campus community safe? Chief Stone: We provide many of the services that any other police department provides. We offer 24/7 police patrol of [...]

As the semester ends and many students leave campus, those who stay during the break should take precautions to make sure they stay safe.With fewer people in the area, that also provides criminals with better opportunities to commit their crimes. But there are a few things you can do to significantly reduce your risk of being targeted by an offender. “These are things we want our campus community members to be doing year-round, but the campus environment during the break makes these tips particularly helpful,” said Lt. Joseph McCullough. Use SafeWalks. The free walking escort services provided by trained Student Patrol officers continues [...]

URBANA, Ill. – Lt. Joan Fiesta was honored this week as one of International Student and Scholar Services’ 2018 Outstanding Campus Partners. Lt. Fiesta now serves as the department’s daytime patrol supervisor, but over the past year she oversaw the crime prevention unit. International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) has been a key partner for the police department over the years in developing safety and crime prevention resources for students who come from abroad. Lt. Fiesta also traveled to China and South Korea during the summer to present during the university’s in-country orientations for new students who reside overseas. The [...]

URBANA, Ill. – The University of Illinois Police Department wants students to know that public safety personnel are here to help if they need anything with final exams coming up. For some students, studying for finals means late nights at libraries and other campus buildings. Those needing to travel on campus at night are encouraged to use the SafeWalks service, which operates from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. “Theft and robbery often are crimes of opportunity, and criminals tend to target individuals who are walking alone [...]

URBANA, Ill. – The first class of participants in the Community Police Academy will graduate following four weeks of learning about policing practices on campus. Participants in the 12-hour class have spent the past three weeks learning about emergency dispatch, crime scene investigation, police K-9 units and traffic stops. The fourth week will conclude with talks given by representatives of the METRO SWAT unit and the University of Illinois Police Department bomb squad (including the department's bomb-detection K9), as well as a simulation of the split-second decisions police officers have to make in potential use-of-force situations. Graduation will happen around [...]