Sheriff and police outline local safety updates: deputy recovery, shootings, move‑in traffic and vehicle‑theft prevention

Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Harmon and Champaign Police representatives briefed the Community Coalition on recent incidents and planned public‑safety measures for the start of the school year. Sheriff Dustin Harmon said a deputy involved in a recent motor‑vehicle accident “is out of the hospital” and recovering, and that while the deputy may be out from work for a while, the outcome was far better than initially feared. He reported five shooting incidents in the county so far this year and said only one involved an injury; he added that countywide fatalities are up and that not wearing a seatbelt is a common factor. University‑area move‑in and game traffic: a campus public-safety speaker told the group that move‑in will concentrate on heavy days around the 20th–22nd, with about 9,000 new freshmen and 2,000 returning upperclassmen arriving into university and private housing. The speaker warned that traffic will be heavy on corridors including Kirby Avenue, Fourth Street, Lincoln, Goodwin, Green, Pennsylvania and Florida avenues, and said late home football games cause Kirby Avenue to be closed around noon for those days. Crime‑prevention and outreach: Champaign Police Deputy Chief Greg Manzam promoted a free, nine‑week community police academy beginning Wednesday, Sept. 10, open to residents 18 and older and hosted jointly by multiple area law‑enforcement agencies. Manzam also said the department has seen a spike in thefts of certain Kia and Hyundai model years (Kia 2011–2021; Hyundai 2013–2021) and that the department is offering free steering‑wheel locks and has worked with local dealerships on software patches to prevent keyless theft. Why it matters: the presentations combined operational updates (injury/recovery and shooting counts) with community prevention measures — traffic plans, the academy, and practical anti‑theft steps — aimed at reducing immediate risks for residents, students and motorists. Follow‑up: speakers encouraged public patience during move‑in and game days, recommended slow driving and seat‑belt use, and invited residents to sign up for the police academy or pick up a free steering‑wheel lock.