[ACLU-CU ALERT] URBANA Police Dept Revised Use of Force Policy

[Champaign County ACLU Announcements]

Dear ACLU Members and Friends,

The Urbana Police Department has adopted a new Use of Force Policy that
prioritizes de-escalation and requires any use of force to be objectively
reasonable, necessary, and proportional. The revised policy will
be presented to the City Council at the meeting Monday night, August 23rd
at 7 pm. You can read it here:

Revised Use of Force Policy
<https://www.urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/memo_and_Policy_Use%20of%20force.pdf>


Mayor Marlin, Chief Seraphin, and city staff deserve credit for creating a
pathway for members of the Urbana community – including the ACLU of
Champaign County, represented by Carol Spindel – to participate in
thoughtful discussions around revising the policy. We were pleased to work
in partnership with President Minnie Pearson and our community partners at
the NAACP-CC Branch, and other community representatives.


ACLU of Champaign County is committed to working for a more equitable and
effective approach to public safety in Urbana. This policy is a first step
-- an important first step. Like any policy, it requires meaningful
implementation and enforcement so the public can be assured that all
officers are held accountable for their actions on the streets of Urbana.
We call on our elected representatives, the Mayor and City Council, to
continue their important oversight role.


Our local chapter of activists relies on the support of our "mother
organization," the ACLU of Illinois, and we especially want to thank Advocacy
and Intergovernmental Affairs Director Khadine Bennett for her essential
help as we navigated the complexities of policing policy, which were made
even more complicated by changes in the state level statutes being enacted
as we worked.


The Urbana City Council has mandated that the Use of Force Policy will be
updated at least every five years and can be updated more frequently based
on community concerns.


With thanks for your support for the ACLU of Champaign County,


Carol Leff

President

and

Carol Spindel

Director of Communications

www.aclu-cu.org

info at aclu-cu.org
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