URBANA, Illinois – The University of Illinois Police Department has published its “Year In Review” annual report looking back at statistics and other department information for the 2020-2021 school year.
The full report is available at police.illinois.edu/YearInReview.
The 2020-2021 school year was marked by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With few students and staff on campus, University Police calls for service were down more than 37 percent from the 2018-2019 school year, which was the last time students were on campus for the full academic year.
University Police issued only four alcohol-related citations during the entire school year, all for the illegal transportation of liquor. In three of those four, the driver was also arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
No citations were issued for underage drinking or possession. Only 43 citations for liquor-related offenses have been issued in the last three years combined. The department said in the report that it believes minor issues like underage drinking or illegal possession of alcohol are generally better addressed through the school’s disciplinary system and not in court.
Despite fewer calls for service, University Police stayed busy building enhanced programs. The last school year also saw the introduction of the Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST); the Response, Evaluation and Crisis Help (REACH) initiative to improve police response to mental health-related emergencies; and the department’s therapy K9 program.
“These innovations leave us better positioned than ever before to engage our community in supportive programming, to listen to their needs and concerns, and to provide a higher quality of public service heading into the new school year,” said University Police Chief Alice Cary.
Gun violence increased in off-campus areas of Champaign-Urbana, following a trend affecting communities nationwide. There were no incidents on campus property, but Cary said that University Police realize that the campus community is not immune to off-campus issues.
“That is why we are taking proactive steps to prevent violent incidents in the campus area, including increased patrols and exploring new technological tools like mobile security cameras,” Cary said. “Our students and community members should notice an increase in visible police patrols in areas of Campustown that may be more likely to be impacted by violent crime.”
Some other highlights from the report:
University Police officers as a group completed nearly 9,000 hours of training between July 2020 and June 2021. Some key training areas included implicit bias, cultural awareness, duty to intercede, lethal force decision making, de-escalation, and use of force, just to name a few.
The annual report also includes information on how University Police spent money. Its total expenses for the 2020-2021 fiscal year were about $8.66 million.
Bicycle and pedestrian safety is a priority, but vehicles continue to be the most common source of traffic violations. UIPD issued no bicycle and pedestrian tickets for the entire 2020-2021 school year, whereas vehicles accounted for several hundred.
