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Story category: crime
Champaign Police Lobby to Stay Open 24/7
Story air date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Plans for reducing the front desk staff and cutting lobby hours at Champaign Police Headquarters became one of the most controversial parts of budget cuts approved by the City Council last year. Now, despite the staff cuts, police officials say they’ve found a way to keep the front desk open to the public on evenings and overnights. Illinois Public Media's Jim Meadows talked with Champaign Deputy Police Chief Troy Daniels about the new arrangement.
(Photo courtesy of the city of Champaign)
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crime • economy • government • Champaign • peopleChampaign City Councilman Revives Discussion for a Police Review Board
Story air date: Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Champaign City Council last considered the idea of a citizens police review board in 2007 ---- ultimately voting to drop the discussion. Since then, the city has been shaken by the police shooting death of Kiwane Carrington. Also, city council membership has shifted, and some top police officials have announced their retirements --- including chief R.T. Finney. Will Kyles, the only African-American currently serving on the Champaign City Council, brought up the police review board idea at the Oct. 18 council meeting. He said he had received enough backing from fellow council members to get the subject on the agenda of an upcoming study session. Kyles tells Illinois Public Media’s Jim Meadows that now is the right time to revisit the idea of a citizens police review board.
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crime • government • Champaign • people • politicsLIFE ON ROUTE 150: Weighing the Value of Small-Town Police Depts.
Story air date: Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Even though small towns may not have big crime problems compared to larger areas, they still need law enforcement. As part of the series “Life on Route 150,” Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers visited one town that’s keeping its local police presence intact despite the state’s economic challenges, and another town that recently dismantled its police force to save money.
(Photo by Sean Powers/WILL)
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Mansfield Police Officer Denny Thrasher says small-town police forces are critical:
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Ogden Mayor Jack Reidner talks about his village's former police department:
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community life • crime • economy • taxationA Look at the Blagojevich Legal Saga
Story air date: Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The retrial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich begins Wednesday, April 20 with jury selection. It's been two and a half years since the governor was arrested, then impeached, then tried. Illinois Public Radio's Robert Wildeboer has this audio postcard of highlights from this legal saga that's been marked by political theater.
(AP Photo/Verna Sadock)
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crime • government • Illinois • politicsCherry Orchard Landlords to Stand Trial for Code Violations
Story air date: Wednesday, April 06, 2011
The Cherry Orchard Village apartments lie just south of the abandoned Chanute Air Force Base near Rantoul – and like the base itself, Cherry Orchard has seen better days. Now the two landlords who manage the eight-building complex are charged with failing to maintain it – to the detriment of its tenants, mainly migrant worker families. Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers has been collaborating with the investigative journalism group CU-Citizen Access. He reports on the legal battle to bring Cherry Orchard up to code.
(English language voice over by Jenn Kloc)
(With additional reporting from Pam Dempsey and A. H. Gorton of CU-CitizenAccess)
A Timeline of Key Events at Cherry Orchard:
Photos from the Cherry Orchard Village Apartments:
