Central Illinois police training for mental health cases questioned, involuntary commitment issues remain
Tisha Bryson has been shackled, hospitalized and shoved to the ground by central Illinois law enforcement officers more times than she can count while experiencing a mental health crisis. “I try not to hold grudges,” Bryson said, a resident of Hammond in Piatt County, about 40 miles southwest of Champaign. “But some of the ways […]
Of 50 victims, young minorities harmed most by flurry of Champaign gun violence
There were 50 lethal shootings in the city of Champaign between 2015 and the first half of 2022. Of those 50 victims, 15 were 20 years old or younger. At least 30 suspects were arrested in those shootings, and 15 of them were also aged 20 or younger. Those were some of the numbers revealed […]
City of Champaign no longer enforcing underage drinking laws at Campustown bars during pandemic
It’s no secret that some underage students at the University of Illinois like to drink at nearby Campustown bars, and that those under 21 have ample opportunity to violate the law at Campustown bars. But throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Champaign Police Department has made it even easier for minors to get away with underage […]
Need for mental health services on campus grows but resources remain tight
Despite a growing need for mental health services in the community, the director of the Counseling Center at the University of Illinois says the resources remain underfunded and understaffed. “I think mental health services everywhere are underfunded,” said Center director Carla McCowan. “How many staff members do you need before you meet demands? What’s that […]
Restaurant closures, failures down under new restaurant health inspection system
Since 2019, at least 63 Champaign-Urbana restaurants have failed and 19 have been temporarily closed down by public health officials under a new restaurant inspection system launched that year. On average, health inspectors failed 14 restaurants of 324 restaurants inspected each quarter between 2008 and 2017, according to an earlier analysis of public health department […]
Champaign County Sheriff’s Office knew Norman Meeker had an alcohol problem for a decade. Why did it take a flipped truck and a DUI for Meeker to leave the force?
This story is part of a partnership between the Invisible Institute and CU-CitizenAccess exploring police misconduct in Champaign County. Champaign County Sheriff’s Sergeant Norman “JR” Meeker had a 10-year history of disciplinary violations, including destruction of personal property, contract violations, a Tik Tok account that shared bodycam videos of crime scenes, and mountains of missed paperwork. Yet, […]
Clark Park residents express concern over accessory dwelling unit regulation
Some property owners are expressing concern about accessory dwelling units — small buildings on single housing property — while Champaign city officials move towards approving them. The housing units have been promoted as a possible step towards more affordable housing and a way for family members to comfortably live together, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Champaign shootings spread to westward neighborhoods over years, fueled by recent surge in gun violence
CHAMPAIGN — Gun violence in Champaign has steadily marched westward over the past three years as shootings have increased in neighborhoods north and south of West Springfield Avenue, especially in or near several apartment complexes, according to a review of police data over the past seven years by CU-CitizenAccess.org. Three of the four top blocks […]
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 […]
