University of Illinois Police

University of Illinois Police Keeping the peace on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus since 1911.

The University of Illinois Police Department promotes a safe and secure environment where education, research and public service can flourish. Our department operates 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We provide patrol, investigation, specialized and emergency response, as well as crime prevention and educational services. Our guiding philosophy is that of community policing —

building relationships between the police and community allows the department to successfully address the issues of crime and improve quality of life. As part of a land-grant institution, the University of Illinois Police Department has a responsibility to acknowledge the historical context in which it exists. View our land acknowledgement statement: https://go.illinois.edu/land

We adhere to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign social media comment policy for verified accounts: https://go.illinois.edu/commentpolicy

Summer may be quieter on campus, but our officers are still out in the community!Recently, officers spoke with students ...
06/13/2026

Summer may be quieter on campus, but our officers are still out in the community!

Recently, officers spoke with students attending the Uni Summer Enrichment Camp about careers in law enforcement, sharing information about drones, motorcycles, K-9s, crisis response, and other specialized units.

We also joined several local agencies for the Law Enforcement Torch Run benefiting Special Olympics Illinois.

Whether we’re supporting a great cause or introducing students to careers in public safety, we’re always grateful for opportunities to connect with our community.

Several members of the Response, Evaluation and Crisis Help (REACH) team traveled to Dallas, Texas, this week for the Na...
06/11/2026

Several members of the Response, Evaluation and Crisis Help (REACH) team traveled to Dallas, Texas, this week for the National Co-Responder Conference (CoRCon)!

While at CoRCon, the REACH team attended keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking events with peers and industry professionals from across the country. Sessions covered important topics such as crisis intervention, trauma-informed response, substance use deflection, and community partnerships.

Our REACH team is already fantastic, but CoRCon provided valuable opportunities to learn new strategies, share ideas, and bring back knowledge that will help them better serve members of the Illinois community experiencing a mental health crisis.

Crisis Responder Becky Rowe, LCSW, Behavioral Health Detective Zac White, Behavioral Health Detective Alex Tran, Crisis Outreach Coordinator Megan Cambron, LCSW, Behavioral Health Detective Michelle Kaeding, and Crisis Responder Julian Silver, LSW, attended CoRCon. (Side note: don't they look fantastic in their matching Illini Hawaiian shirts?!)

Last week, the Division of Public Safety hosted the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service - TEEX Senior Officials Work...
06/11/2026

Last week, the Division of Public Safety hosted the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service - TEEX Senior Officials Workshop for All-Hazards Preparedness at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The workshop provided senior leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively serve in disaster response roles. Participants learned about incident preparedness, response, and recovery; mutual aid; media relations; and more before putting those lessons into practice during an interactive exercise.

Attendees included representatives from local police, fire, and EMS agencies, as well as several campus units, including athletics, housing, risk management, student affairs, public safety, and others.

This workshop is one of many ways campus and community partners continue working together to strengthen preparedness, build relationships, and enhance our ability to respond to emergencies

University of Illinois Police officers recently assisted the Tolono Police Department and the Champaign County Sheriff's...
06/09/2026

University of Illinois Police officers recently assisted the Tolono Police Department and the Champaign County Sheriff's Office in locating a missing elderly man.

After arriving on scene, Sergeant Colby Wright deployed a drone to assist with the search while Officer Matt Oliger and his partner, K9 Mace, began tracking the man's scent. As Officer Oliger and K9 Mace followed the trail, Sgt. Wright located the man using the drone. He was found safe and returned to his residence.

We are extremely proud of Sgt. Wright, Officer Oliger, and K9 Mace for their teamwork and dedication. This call is another great example of how technology and specialized resources can work together to help protect and serve our community.

The big day is almost here!If you’re out and about on Friday, you may see officers from several local law enforcement ag...
06/04/2026

The big day is almost here!

If you’re out and about on Friday, you may see officers from several local law enforcement agencies as they make their way from Fisher to Champaign for the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics!

Check out the original post from the Champaign County Sheriff's Office for important details and a map of the approximately 31-mile route.

If you see a large group running with police presence, please take a moment to cheer them on as they support and celebrate our incredible Special Olympians!

Please join us in congratulating Officer Eric Helms on becoming the University of Illinois Police Department's new Badge...
06/02/2026

Please join us in congratulating Officer Eric Helms on becoming the University of Illinois Police Department's new Badge 1 honoree!

Ofc. Helms began working at UIPD on June 18, 2002, and has spent the majority of his nearly 24-year career working the night shift. If you haven't encountered him on campus, you may recognize him from Illinois basketball games, where he's usually stationed behind the Illinois bench and in front of the Orange Krush.

In addition to his service at UIPD, Eric has made a lasting impact on young people throughout the community through substitute teaching and his years as the Cerro Gordo girls basketball coach.

Badge 1 is a tradition started by former Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Barbara O'Connor. The first Badge 1 was awarded in 2010, and Ofc. Helms is the seventh recipient, following the retirement of Troy Chew.

Congratulations, Officer Helms! We are grateful for your nearly 24 years of dedicated service to our department and the Illinois campus community.

Yesterday was a bittersweet day at the Division of Public Safety as we said goodbye to Officer Dylan Short. Dylan joined...
05/29/2026

Yesterday was a bittersweet day at the Division of Public Safety as we said goodbye to Officer Dylan Short.

Dylan joined the UIPD team on August 9, 2017, and has served as a field training and CIT officer, a master fi****ms instructor, a METRO SWAT team operator, and a member of ILEAS Region 7 Mobile Field Force.

He is also a First Sergeant in the Illinois Army National Guard and returned home from a 306-day deployment in the Middle East earlier this year.

Dylan will be greatly missed by everyone on the Public Safety team, and we are extremely grateful for his years of service to the Illinois community, the state, and the nation as a police officer and a soldier.

Congratulations on an outstanding career, and good luck in all of your future endeavors!

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.Today, we rememb...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Today, we remember and reflect on the service and sacrifice of the men and women who gave their lives while serving others. Their courage and dedication will never be forgotten.

Please join us in welcoming and congratulating the newest members of the University of Illinois Police Department K9 Uni...
05/22/2026

Please join us in welcoming and congratulating the newest members of the University of Illinois Police Department K9 Unit: Officer Candance Williams and K9 Remy!

Officer Williams and K9 Remy graduated from MidproK9 this morning after completing six weeks of training. Following their graduation, the team was officially certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA). We are grateful to Tony, Garla, and Hannah from MidProK9 for their exceptional training, Bert from NAPWDA for coming to certify the team this afternoon, and to Willard Airport for letting us use the lobby for certification!

K9 Remy is a nearly two-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer. He is certified in Explosive Odor Tracking (EOT) and Explosive Ordnance Detection (EOD). The pair will work alongside our other K9 teams to ensure the safety of large campus events, including Illinois football and basketball games and concerts.

We are incredibly proud of Officer Williams and K9 Remy, and we are excited to have them on the K9 team!

This afternoon, members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Air Force, Army, and Naval Reserve Officers' Trai...
05/21/2026

This afternoon, members of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Air Force, Army, and Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) presented Chief Ballinger with a plaque of appreciation for the ongoing collaboration between the Division of Public Safety and the ROTC programs.

Several members of the Public Safety team have worked closely with ROTC leadership throughout the year to host active threat workshops, provide security at training events, and strengthen the working relationships between our organizations.

Several Public Safety employees are active or retired service members, including Chief Ballinger, a U.S. Army Veteran, so we are grateful for every opportunity to work closely with our campus ROTC partners.

Thank you all for stopping by today and for your continued service!

Address

1110 W Springfield Avenue
Urbana, IL
61801

Telephone

(217)3331216

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