Officer Chuck Hoskins was selected as the June employee of the month for using his knowledge and community contacts to arrest an armed person suspected in a home invasion which occurred off campus.
Aware that the Urbana Police Department was seeking an individual wanted in a home invasion in April, Officer Hoskins visited Illinois Terminal in Champaign knowing that the suspect was likely to be there. The suspect was not present on the first visit, but Officer Hoskins asked Illinois Terminal security to contact him if he arrived. The next day, security notified the officer that the suspect was at the terminal. Officer Hoskins responded quickly, approached the individual and detained him by handcuffing him for the safety of everyone involved. Officer Hoskins found a loaded handgun in the individual’s pocket, and it was later determined that gun had been stolen in an earlier burglary.
The arrest not only made the entire community safer, but it also is indicative of Officer Hoskins’ keen ability to use his own knowledge and community relationships to recognize and find dangerous people. Further, Officer Hoskins safely and calmly arrested an armed individual without injury to anyone involved.