Urbana Police Department

08/29/2026

Great work Detective Bennett! We are so lucky to have some amazing women leading and making an impact in law enforcement right now and for the future!

Chief Matt Ballinger and Officer Kennedy Truex joined Chief Timothy Tyler and Lieutenant Kaitlin Fisher of the Champaign Police Department and Detective Paige Bennett of the Urbana Police Department at the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois' Lead Like a Girl event last week!

The event was a great opportunity to support local Girl Scouts and reconnect after this summer’s Camp Fury, where Officer Truex, Lieutenant Fisher, Detective Bennett, and other local first responders helped provide participants with a firsthand look at careers in public safety. A special thank you to Chief Tyler and the Champaign Police Department for hosting one of the police days and giving all of us the opportunity to be part of another successful Camp Fury!

We’re grateful to the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois for continuing to create opportunities for girls to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and learn more about careers they may not have considered before.

Thank you to the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois for another great event. We’re already looking forward to the next Camp Fury!

08/28/2026

Health starts from within, and that includes the people who serve our community every day.

On Wednesday and again on Friday, the Urbana Police Department hosted our first-ever Health & Wellness Day, bringing together experts from across our community to support every aspect of employee wellness. Throughout the day, our staff had the opportunity to learn about mental health, physical health, financial wellness, stress management, burnout prevention, nutrition, and many other topics designed to help them thrive both personally and professionally. Our goal is to create a true wraparound approach to wellness that supports our people in every area of their lives.

The event was a tremendous success, and we are incredibly grateful to the outstanding organizations and professionals who partnered with us. Keri Powell Therapy shared their expertise through Trisha Nelson, LCSW, Anthony Jones, LCSW, and therapy dog Trig. University of Illinois Extension provided valuable wellness education through Alexa Livesay and Emily Harmon, while Parkland College was represented by Maureen Fuller focusing on breathwork and mindfulness. WBS Financial Foundation helped our staff strengthen their financial wellness with presentations from Riynard Wilson and Mailainie Meyer, and Health in Harmony shared valuable health resources through Laura Lancaster. Ryan Brooks and Kelly Donoho from Optimize U for sharing ways to help with hormone optimization, athletic recovery, and weight loss options.

A very special thank you goes to Dr. Lashaunda Cunningham, whose vision, leadership, and countless hours of work made this event possible. Dr. Cunningham carried the lion's share of the planning and coordination, bringing together exceptional partners and creating a meaningful experience for our employees. Her dedication to the health and well-being of our staff was evident in every detail, and this inaugural event would not have been the success it was without her extraordinary efforts.

Investing in the health and well-being of our employees means investing in the quality of service we provide to our community. We appreciate each of our partners for generously donating their time, knowledge, and passion to make this event possible.

08/27/2026

Last week, our officers were proud to partner with Texas Roadhouse, the Champaign Police Department, Parkland College Police Department, and the University of Illinois Police Department for our annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser benefiting Special Olympics Illinois.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we raised a bunch of money to support Special Olympics athletes across Central Illinois.

This event is another reminder of what can happen when our community comes together for a great cause. We are especially grateful to everyone who stopped by, shared a meal, left a donation, and supported these amazing athletes.

A special thank you goes to Detective Chloe Fowkes, whose dedication has been the driving force behind the Urbana Police Department's partnership with Special Olympics. Over the past several years, Detective Fowkes has led countless fundraising events, organized opportunities for our officers to give back, and strengthened our relationship with Special Olympics Illinois. Her passion and commitment continue to make a lasting impact on athletes throughout our region. Detective Fowkes most recently worked with CPD hosting the first ever Pickleball with a Purpose, she organized our team for Polar Plunge, setup Cop on Top with Dunkin', organized our team for Law Enforcement Torch Run. These are just a few examples of her continued volunteer work and this is on top of her demanding role as a mom at home and Detective at the Urbana Police Department.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event another success. Together, we're helping create more opportunities for athletes to compete, grow, and inspire us all.

08/24/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Urbana Police Department conducting state-mandated annual active shooter
training at Vineyard Church
____________________________________________________________________
URBANA, Ill. – The Urbana Police Department will conduct its annual state-mandated
active shooter training at Vineyard Church on two days this week. Members of the
public should be aware of an increased law enforcement presence in the area during
the training.
• Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. both days
• Dates: Tuesday, August 25, and Thursday, August 27, 2026
• Location: Vineyard Church, 1500 North. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
• Purpose: Annual State-mandated active shooter training
• Public Impact: Increased law enforcement presence in the area
• Traffic: North Lincoln Avenue is expected to remain unaffected
This training is conducted annually as part of state-mandated law enforcement training
requirements. The exercise provides officers an opportunity to practice and reinforce
their response to active threats and other critical incidents in a realistic training
environment.
Members of the public should expect to see an increased law enforcement presence in
and around the Vineyard Church property throughout both training days. The activity is
part of a planned training exercise and is not an actual emergency. Residents,
motorists, and businesses in the area should not be alarmed by the presence of
additional officers, police vehicles, or other activity associated with the exercise.
Traffic on North Lincoln Avenue is not expected to be affected, and no significant traffic
disruptions are anticipated as a result of the training.
The Urbana Police Department conducts regular training to ensure officers are prepared
to respond effectively to critical incidents and to help maintain the safety of our
community. We appreciate the public’s awareness and cooperation while officers
complete this annual training. Any questions or issues can be directed to the Services
Division Lieutenant McKinney
For more information about the City of Urbana, please visit UrbanaIL.Gov.
# # # # #

08/22/2026

Chief Larry D. Boone attended Divine Not Divided’s 3rd Annual Jump Into School Community Celebration, where he shared inspirational words with kids as they prepare for the new school year.

The Urbana Police Department was proud to support this fun, positive event and connect with our community.

Thank you to Divine Not Divided and everyone who helped make the day a success! And yes, Chief Boone even jumped rope with the kids. Turns out he’s still got some bounce!

08/22/2026

Chief Larry D. Boone attended Divine Not Divided’s 3rd Annual Jump Into School Community Celebration, where he shared inspirational words with kids as they prepare for the new school year.

The Urbana Police Department was proud to support this fun, positive event and connect with our community.

Thank you to Divine Not Divided and everyone who helped make the day a success! And yes, Chief Boone even jumped rope with the kids. Turns out he’s got some a little bit of bounce, watch our reel if you don’t believe it!

08/21/2026

We are proud to recognize our newest Urbana Police Department officers, Davon Minor and Jennifer Hanson, who have officially graduated from the Police Training Institute (PTI) at the University of Illinois.

This intensive 16-week academy provides recruits with a strong foundation in criminal law, defensive tactics, decision-making, ethics, de-escalation, and community-focused policing. Graduating from PTI marks an important milestone in every officer’s journey and reflects the dedication and hard work required to prepare for a career in law enforcement.

With the academy now complete, Officers Minor and Hanson will begin the next critical phase of their development: the Field Training Officer (FTO) Program. Over the next 16 weeks, they will train alongside experienced senior officers who will teach them how we serve the Urbana community while reinforcing the professional standards, values, and expectations of the Urbana Police Department.

Throughout field training, their progress will be closely monitored by Field Training Officers and patrol sergeants through regular evaluations, coaching, and mentorship. This structured process ensures our newest officers are not only technically proficient, but also prepared to deliver the professional, compassionate, and community-focused policing our residents expect.

We are excited to see Officers Minor and Hanson out in the community, gaining firsthand experience as they learn how the Urbana Police Department balances public safety, effective law enforcement, and strong community partnerships. Their journey is just beginning, and we are confident they will serve our community with integrity, professionalism, and dedication.

Please join us in congratulating Officers Davon Minor and Jennifer Hanson on this important achievement. We’re proud to have you on the team and look forward to watching your careers grow!

08/20/2026

Partnerships make our community stronger, and they help us better serve people during some of their most difficult moments.

On Tuesday and again today, Courage Connection Executive Director Katie Harmon and Director of Outreach and Engagement Matthew Fletcher are joined Urbana Police Department patrol shift briefings to provide our officers with the most up-to-date, survivor-focused training and information surrounding domestic violence.

Domestic violence situations are often complex, deeply personal, and difficult for survivors to navigate. Our resource- and education-focused efforts are designed to help officers better understand those challenges, connect survivors with resources and support, and recognize opportunities to help interrupt cycles of violence before situations escalate and enforcement becomes necessary.

This partnership is also one example of our Community Engagement Team at work. By bringing community partners, resources, education, and our officers together, the team helps strengthen the connections that allow us to address public safety from multiple angles.

At UPD, we believe a holistic approach to public safety means looking beyond enforcement alone. Prevention, intervention, education, outreach, resources, and enforcement all have a role in addressing the underlying challenges that affect our community. Working together gives us more opportunities to support survivors, encourage positive change, reduce future harm, and make Urbana a safer and better place to live.

Thank you to Sergeant Funches, our Community Engagement Sergeant, for coordinating this opportunity, and to our incredible partners at Courage Connection for continuing to share their expertise with our officers and support survivors throughout our community.

Strong partnerships. Better understanding. More resources. A safer Urbana.

For more information or support surrounding domestic violence, visit our partners

08/20/2026

Please consider attending this event, the funds raised go to our amazing partners at Special Olympics.

Next Monday, Aug. 24 Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics will host the Tip-A-Cop at Texas Roadhouse in 3 locations of Special Olympics Illinois - Region I, Forsyth, Champaign, and the newest Mattoon! Come out for an awesome dinner and get served by our local Law Enforcement!
with Champaign Police Department, Macon County Sheriff's Office, City of Mattoon, Illinois - Police Department, & Urbana Police Department

08/19/2026

You Stuffed the Squad!

What started with an empty squad car ended with an incredible show of generosity from our community.

Thanks to our residents, community partners, and generous donors, the Urbana Police Department collected an estimated $5,000 or more in school supplies for the scholars at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.

There were so many donations that it took two days and two full squad cars to deliver everything to the school!

A special thank-you goes to the Urbana Park District for serving as a donation location and helping bring even more community support to this effort. We also want to thank the Champaign Urbana Elks Lodge for serving as a donation location and collecting an incredible amount of school supplies.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who purchased supplies, dropped off donations, shared information about the campaign, or helped make Stuff the Squad a success.

This is what community partnership looks like. Together, we are helping make sure students can begin the school year with the supplies they need to learn and succeed.

From all of us at the Urbana Police Department, thank you for helping us Stuff the Squad and support our local students!