Signup now available for spring self-defense courses
https://youtu.be/mF_N0Fr_UIQ URBANA — Students and others may now sign up for R.A.D. self-defense courses offered during the spring 2018 semester. The Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) system is a comprehensive course being taught at colleges around the country. It begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance before progressing on to basic hands-on defense training. R.A.D. is primarily for women. "It's personal empowerment, but also an education course," said Detective Robert Murphy, who teaches the course. "Essentially, it's skills that everyone has, we're just kind of honing those skills." The course is highly-reviewed by past participants and is in high-demand at colleges [...]
Students advised to protect their belongings as finals approach
https://youtu.be/sUoGfKqzVBE URBANA – University of Illinois Police say it’s a good idea to register your cellphone, laptop or other property, especially as final exams approach. In 2016, bicycles, phones, computers and wallets were among the most common items stolen, together comprising 62 percent of all thefts reported. In about three out of every four thefts, the items were left unlocked and unattended – some just for a couple minutes or seconds. Among other places, libraries and gyms were commonly targeted by thieves who know that students are more likely to leave their belongings unattended in those places. “It’s important to [...]
Police Chief Jeff Christensen to retire
URBANA – University of Illinois Police Chief Jeff Christensen will complete a 32-year law enforcement career when he retires at the end of December. Christensen chose to make the announcement now to allow the campus enough time to ensure there is no disruption to the department’s efforts to maintain the safety of the campus community. Deputy Chief Matt Myrick is expected to be name interim chief of police beginning Jan. 1, 2018. UIPD has not been without Christensen since he started as an undergraduate Student Patrol officer in 1983. He was hired as a police officer upon his graduation from [...]
Two officers graduate from police academy
URBANA – The University of Illinois Police Department is welcoming two new officers who graduated Thursday from the 14-week basic law enforcement class at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute. Officers Daniel Leake and Jacob Gibson will now enter the department’s field training program for the next several months. Officer Leake originally joined the department as a telecommunicator in January 2015. This year, he earned two commendation awards as a telecommunicator for his exceptional and compassionate work tied to a hit-and-run accident and a reported sexual assault. Officer Leake, who grew up in Champaign, earned his bachelor’s degree in [...]
Students encouraged to be smart about online marketplace
URBANA – The University of Illinois Police Department is offering tips to students and community members who plan to use online sales tools like craigslist, Facebook, Venmo and many others. In recent months, police have taken numerous reports of students being ripped off after arranging transactions with people whom they have never met in person. In one report, a U. of I. student reported that he had been the victim of deceptive practices on Sept. 29. The student arranged to meet an unknown person at Oglesby Hall, 1005 W. College Court, Urbana, to sell a speaker and a designer T-shirt [...]