The full report is available at police.illinois.edu/YearInReview.
The report this year was specifically tailored to answer questions raised by community members in the wake of demonstrations that erupted across the country this summer, throwing policing into a national spotlight.
Since that time, UIPD has received numerous questions about its policies, arrest demographics and budget expenditures. In the interest of transparency, that information was included for the first time in the department’s annual report. The change was intended to give community members more insight into UIPD’s approaches to policing in the context of how they affect people of color.
“We present this information with no agenda, only to offer information that the community has been asking for,” said University of Illinois Police Chief Alice Cary. “We want to be good partners in this national conversation. I am confident that we are among the more progressive departments already, but we want our community to push us to do even better.”
The report also includes information on UIPD’s progressive policing initiatives, like how that is codified in its policies, reflected in its cooperation with community groups like the NAACP, and represented in department training.
Some highlights from the report:
- Total calls for service and reports taken were down again during the 2019-2020 school year, continuing a three-year trend.
- The department continues to make heavy use of warnings instead of citations or arrests to educate the community about public safety issues.
- Arrest demographics show racial disparities, however UIPD urges the community to consider the historical and socioeconomic inequities separate from law enforcement that permeate all communities and affect the statistics – things like housing opportunity, income, healthcare, and employment.
- UIPD formalized its commitment to 10 principles it shares with the NAACP in 2019.
- UIPD’s policies already largely reflect the recommendations of the “8 Can’t Wait” movement.
- The department’s state allowance expenditures in FY20 totaled $8.2 million. The report includes a breakdown of how that money was spent.
“I have every confidence in our officers and their constant professionalism,” Cary said. “UIPD is a leader in campus safety and progressive policing. We are committed to instilling 21st Century Policing principles into every interaction we have. But no organization is perfect, and we are no exception. We will always strive to take a critical look at how we serve, and to improve our policies and practices to promote equity on campus and beyond.”
The report should not be compared to the campus Annual Security and Fire Safety Report released in September. That report is compiled pursuant to federal regulations in the Clery Act and covers a different time period.