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Read more about the article Central Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add twoDarrell Hoemann
Satellite Jail exterior on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Central Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add two

Six of nine central Illinois county jails fail to meet state standards for a respiratory illness isolation cell, state records show.  A review of…

Continue ReadingCentral Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add two
Read more about the article Vehicles, rifles and tools: Police in Champaign County got steep discounts on federal military surplus worth $900,000Defense Logistics Agency
Military tents outside a hospital. From the federal Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) page on the Defense Logistics Agency website.

Vehicles, rifles and tools: Police in Champaign County got steep discounts on federal military surplus worth $900,000

A mine-resistant vehicle.  An explosive disposal robot. 20 rifles.  These are just a few of the military surplus items acquired by law enforcement in…

Continue ReadingVehicles, rifles and tools: Police in Champaign County got steep discounts on federal military surplus worth $900,000
Read more about the article Racial disparities persist in Champaign County jail bookingsDarrell Hoemann
Satellite Jail exterior on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Racial disparities persist in Champaign County jail bookings

From 2012 to 2023, for every 10 white people booked at the Champaign County jail, 17 nonwhite people were booked.   CU-CitizenAccess.org obtained years of…

Continue ReadingRacial disparities persist in Champaign County jail bookings
Read more about the article Top property owners in Champaign County include University of Illinois, Mormon church and web of landlordsDarrell Hoemann
Brookens Admin Center in Urbana, IL 61801 on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

Top property owners in Champaign County include University of Illinois, Mormon church and web of landlords

In 2023, 13 property owners in Champaign County owned over 100 properties each. The largest property owner, by far, is the University of Illinois…

Continue ReadingTop property owners in Champaign County include University of Illinois, Mormon church and web of landlords
Read more about the article Fentanyl-driven overdose deaths dropped in Illinois after 2022 peakDrug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
A bag of fentanyl pills. Image from the DEA website.

Fentanyl-driven overdose deaths dropped in Illinois after 2022 peak

Deaths from opioid overdoses in Illinois are on the decline in 2024, showing a reversal after the record-high numbers seen in 2022.  Drug prevention…

Continue ReadingFentanyl-driven overdose deaths dropped in Illinois after 2022 peak
Read more about the article Dumpster, waste fires in Champaign more common this year; Campustown remains hot spotChampaign Fire Department
Firefighters at the scene of one of the multiple-alarm fires that the Champaign Fire Department fought in the same night last spring. Photo provided by the Champaign Fire Department.

Dumpster, waste fires in Champaign more common this year; Campustown remains hot spot

A multiple-alarm fire — a fire severe enough to necessitate additional resources — is rare for the Champaign Fire Department to encounter. But last…

Continue ReadingDumpster, waste fires in Champaign more common this year; Campustown remains hot spot
Read more about the article Pretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act
The Champaign County Courthouse. Screenshot from Google Street View.

Pretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act

One year after the passage of the Pretrial Fairness Act, state data shows the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, which includes Champaign, recorded one of…

Continue ReadingPretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act
Read more about the article Deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey in Springfield was discharged from Army for serious misconductFarrah Anderson
Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who is now charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, was previously discharged from the U.S. Army for serious misconduct — and still hired at six police departments in Central Illinois.

Deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey in Springfield was discharged from Army for serious misconduct

This article was originally published by IPM Newsroom on July 24, 2024. This article was updated with additional reporting about Grayson’s claims to have…

Continue ReadingDeputy accused of killing Sonya Massey in Springfield was discharged from Army for serious misconduct
Read more about the article Urbana activists want more police oversight. But local laws hold the civilian review board hostage
Ricardo Diaz, the most recent chair of the Civilian Police Review Board, stepped down in May. Diaz said local activists were frustrated by the slow pace of reforms and how local ordinances curtail the power of the CPRB to provide more powerful oversight of Urbana police. Photo by Farrah Anderson.

Urbana activists want more police oversight. But local laws hold the civilian review board hostage

This story was originally published on IPM Newsroom on July 8, 2024. This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in…

Continue ReadingUrbana activists want more police oversight. But local laws hold the civilian review board hostage