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Category Archives: Policing
Central Illinois Police Training for Mental Health Cases Questioned — Print Version
Tisha Bryson has been shackled, hospitalized, and shoved to the ground by Champaign-area police while experiencing a mental health crisis more times than she can count. “I try not to hold grudges,” said Bryson, of Hammond. “But some of the … Continue reading
217 total views
Posted in health care, Mental Health, Police, police accountability, Police brutality, Policing, Racism
Tagged mental health, police training
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Central Illinois Police Training for Mental Health Cases Questioned — Full Version
Tisha Bryson has been shackled, hospitalized and shoved to the ground by central Illinois law enforcement officers while experiencing a mental health crisis more times than she can count. “I try not to hold grudges,” Bryson said, a resident of … Continue reading
175 total views
Posted in health, Mental Health, Police, police accountability, Police brutality, Policing, Racism, Section
Tagged mental health, police training
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“It’s a Money Grab”: Billions in COVID Relief Going to Fund Police and Prisons
If you’re from inner-city Birmingham, Alabama, there’s a “99-percent chance” you have a family member or friend who has been incarcerated, according to Veronica Johnson, deputy director for the Alabama Justice Initiative, which has been fighting against a proposal to … Continue reading
325 total views
Posted in African Americans, COVID-19, incarceration, Justice, Police, police accountability, Policing
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Local Community Protests Former Champaign Police Chief’s Teaching Appointment at Parkland College
Former Champaign Police Chief Robert T. Finney was hired in August, 2020 to teach Community Policing as well as Introduction to Criminal Justice at Parkland College. “Unbelievable” is what one African American community member thought on hearing the news; “Shocking,” … Continue reading
875 total views
Posted in African Americans, Education, Justice, police accountability, Police brutality, Policing, Section
Tagged education, Parkland College, police brutality
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Taking the Band-Aid Off of Mass Incarceration
On a bad day, those of us seeking justice can find little to be hopeful about. The recent acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse again reminds us that the law is designed to protect white lives. Even after widespread protests and demonstrations … Continue reading
617 total views
Posted in African American, BLM, Champaign County, incarceration, Justice, Police brutality, Policing, Section, State Government
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Urbana’s Long Search for Traffic-Stop Equity
In 2004 the State of Illinois required all law enforcement agencies to report their annual traffic stop data to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The Urbana Police Department’s (UPD) data shows they have enforced traffic laws inequitably every year … Continue reading
476 total views, 1 views today
Posted in African Americans, Champaign County, Justice, Police, Policing, Racism
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There’s Something Happening Here
Gun violence in Champaign-Urbana has certainly dominated public discourse of late. As a city council member, I hear a lot of it. Here are some common myths being thrown around about local gun violence and law enforcement: “The libs on … Continue reading
592 total views
Posted in Crime, Gun violence, Police, Policing, Violence
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Ubuntu Project Statement on Automated License Plate Readers
The Ubuntu Project Urbana-Champaign is disappointed to learn that the Champaign City Council is considering voting to purchase license plate readers. Considering the well-documented controversial reputation and questionable value of license plate readers, the Champaign people need more information on … Continue reading
506 total views
Posted in African American, African Americans, civil rights, Crime, Gun violence, Justice, police accountability, Policing, Violence
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The Ubuntu Project and the Need for a Progressive Shift in Policing
Ubuntu is a term that originated with the Zulu people and roughly translates to “humanity” in English. The term emerged as a political concept following apartheid’s disintegration in South Africa. Now a collective of local community members, scholars, clergy, and … Continue reading
1,069 total views
Posted in African Americans, Community, Justice, police accountability, Police Brutality, Policing, Voices of Color
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Police Brutality is Not Uniquely American: Try France
While we are rightly preoccupied with abuse by the police in the United States, almost no Americans know anything about policing and justice in other countries. France offers a particularly interesting case. In January, six nongovernmental organizations, including Amnesty International … Continue reading
664 total views
Posted in 1968 Revolt, France, International, Justice, Police, Police Brutality, Police brutality, Policing, Racism, Students
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The 2021 Illinois Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill
On February 22, Governor Pritzker signed House Bill 3653. This bill, rather a composite omnibus of many bills, was sponsored by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in both the Illinois House and Senate. Several of the individual bills were sponsored … Continue reading
Posted in Court System, IL, Justice, Police, Police Brutality, Policing
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Urbana Police Chief Finally Admits Misconduct in Aleyah Lewis Arrest
It has been more than seven months since the violent arrest of Urbana resident Aleyah Lewis. Tens of thousands of people have watched the videos of Urbana Police Officers throwing Lewis to the ground, pinning her, punching her in the … Continue reading
Posted in Justice, Police, police accountability, Police brutality, Policing
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What Educational Values and Beliefs Underpin a Decision to have Armed School Resource Officers?
This article was previously published in Smile Politely, On December 17, 2019, the Urbana Board of Education (BOE) signed an intergovernmental agreement to approve funding of two full-time armed police officers (called School Resource Officers, or SROs)—one at the middle … Continue reading
Posted in African American, Education, Education, Police, Policing, Urbana, Voices of Color
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Police Unions: Solidarity and Accountability
The Police and Solidarity There are two major differences between police officers and other workers in both the private and public sector. The first is a truncated sense of solidarity, the second a lack of accountability. Unionized workers in both … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, Policing, union solidarity
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Chalk It Up to Protecting Property Over People
In July Michael Long, owner of the Rogue Barber Co. in downtown Champaign, implemented a discriminatory “membership only” policy. The issue came to public attention on July 23, when a female Champaign resident shared screenshots on social media of a … Continue reading
Posted in Alt-Right, bigotry, Community, police accountability, Policing
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How Are Violent Police Held Accountable in Champaign County?
On April 10, Urbana Police officers threw an African American woman, Aleyah Lewis, to the ground and punched her while she was down. She had protested the arrest of a friend. Caught on video, this led many people in the … Continue reading
Posted in police accountability, Police Brutality, States's Attorney
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Public Speaks Out About Use of Force by Urbana Police–Council Reviews Police Investigation
On April 10, Urbana police responded to a call on East Colorado Avenue about an armed man and possible shot fired. Police arrived, frisked an uninvolved youth, and then focused on a man and woman they suspected were involved. … Continue reading
14,211 total views
Posted in Police, Policing, Uncategorized
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Comment from ACLU to Urbana City Council Regarding Aleyah Lewis’ Arrest
Champaign County ACLU appreciates the city of Urbana’s commitment to community-centered policing and to maintaining a well-trained professional police force that is held to the highest standards. We are concerned about the lack of professionalism during the April 10 arrest … Continue reading
883 total views
Posted in civil rights, Police, Policing
Tagged ACLU, Police Violence
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No Accident: White Cop Shoots Another Black Man in Champaign
The shooting of unarmed Black men by white police in the United States is a story that keeps repeating over and over. The recent case of a local 22-year-old African American man shot in the shoulder by Champaign police officer … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans, Police, Policing, Uncategorized
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Fighting Mass Incarceration Under Trump: New Strategies, New Alliance
By James Kilgore Yusef Shakur is a Detroit community organizer who spent several years in Michigan state prisons. “The prison-industrial complex has found the right person to feed it,” he said in response to the election results. “Trump is of … Continue reading
Posted in African American, Justice, Policing, Prisoners, Trump
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