Category Archives: Policing

“It’s a Money Grab”: Billions in COVID Relief Going to Fund Police and Prisons

Posted on May 2022 by Brian Dolinar

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 →

184 total views

Posted in African Americans, COVID-19, incarceration, Justice, Police, police accountability, Policing | Comments Off

Local Community Protests Former Champaign Police Chief’s Teaching Appointment at Parkland College

Posted on March 2022 by Public i

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 →

711 total views

Posted in African Americans, Education, Justice, police accountability, Police brutality, Policing, Section | Tagged education, Parkland College, police brutality | Comments Off

Taking the Band-Aid Off of Mass Incarceration

Posted on February 2022 by Brian Dolinar

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 →

315 total views

Posted in African American, BLM, Champaign County, incarceration, Justice, Police brutality, Policing, Section, State Government | Comments Off

Urbana’s Long Search for Traffic-Stop Equity

Posted on February 2022 by Durl Kruse

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 →

311 total views

Posted in African Americans, Champaign County, Justice, Police, Policing, Racism | Comments Off

There’s Something Happening Here

Posted on November 2021 by Chris Evans

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 →

472 total views

Posted in Crime, Gun violence, Police, Policing, Violence | Comments Off

Ubuntu Project Statement on Automated License Plate Readers

Posted on November 2021 by Ubuntu Project

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 →

379 total views

Posted in African American, African Americans, civil rights, Crime, Gun violence, Justice, police accountability, Policing, Violence | Comments Off

The Ubuntu Project and the Need for a Progressive Shift in Policing

Posted on September 2021 by Alex Horton

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 →

887 total views

Posted in African Americans, Community, Justice, police accountability, Police Brutality, Policing, Voices of Color | Comments Off

Police Brutality is Not Uniquely American: Try France

Posted on September 2021 by Richard Esbenshade and Belden Fields

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 →

516 total views

Posted in 1968 Revolt, France, International, Justice, Police, Police Brutality, Police brutality, Policing, Racism, Students | Comments Off

The 2021 Illinois Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill

Posted on April 2021 by Belden Fields

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 | Comments Off

Urbana Police Chief Finally Admits Misconduct in Aleyah Lewis Arrest

Posted on December 2020 by Christopher Hansen

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 | Comments Off

What Educational Values and Beliefs Underpin a Decision to have Armed School Resource Officers?

Posted on October 2020 by Ameena Payne

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 | Comments Off

Police Unions: Solidarity and Accountability

Posted on September 2020 by Belden Fields

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 | Comments Off

Chalk It Up to Protecting Property Over People

Posted on September 2020 by Lance Pittman

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 | Comments Off

How Are Violent Police Held Accountable in Champaign County?

Posted on July 2020 by Belden Fields

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 | Comments Off

Public Speaks Out About Use of Force by Urbana Police–Council Reviews Police Investigation

Posted on May 2020 by Jane McClintock

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 →

13,877 total views

Posted in Police, Policing, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Comment from ACLU to Urbana City Council Regarding Aleyah Lewis’ Arrest

Posted on April 2020 by Carol Spindel

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 →

769 total views

Posted in civil rights, Police, Policing | Tagged ACLU, Police Violence | Comments Off

No Accident: White Cop Shoots Another Black Man in Champaign

Posted on June 2017 by Brian Dolinar

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 | Comments Off

Fighting Mass Incarceration Under Trump: New Strategies, New Alliance

Posted on February 2017 by James Kilgore

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 | Comments Off

Myths of Unity

Posted on September 2016 by Ricardo Pierre-Louis

An increasingly polarized climate has resulted in this beautiful revolution we call Black Lives Matter we are experiencing today. As both an observer and victim of this increasingly militarized society I’m proud to see us finally unite. However, I’m afraid. … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Forum, Policing, Voices of Color | Comments Off

The Myron Scruggs Case and the Champaign Police Department

Posted on May 2016 by Belden Fields

by Belden Fields An Ugly Image From the Past In the late 1960s, I joined the newly created chapter of the Champaign County ACLU and became the chair of its investigations committee. I received a call from a woman member … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Justice, Policing | Comments Off