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Urbana unveils community engagement police team and partners with HOPE violence-intervention program
Summary
Urbana Police presented a new community engagement team focused on connecting residents to services, not enforcement, and described partnerships with nonprofit HOPE (DREAM) that reported drops in shootings in targeted Aspen Court areas. Council pressed staff for policies, staffing clarity and how the team will balance outreach and police duties.
Urbana’s police department and its partner HOPE presented expanded community-based efforts to prevent violence and connect residents to services at the March 23 city council meeting.
Urbana Police described a new community engagement team led by a services-division lieutenant with Community Engagement Sergeant Antoine Funches and community liaison Dr. Leanda Cunningham. The department said the team will wear distinct, non‑patrol uniforms, operate a dedicated vehicle and emphasize resource referrals and prevention rather than enforcement. “The goal of the community engagement team and the violence prevention office is not going to be used for enforcement,” the lieutenant said during the presentation.
The presentation outlined three branches: (1) community engagement officers supported by a clergy patrol; (2) a crisis co‑response team pairing a behavioral-health detective with a clinician; and (3) a community violence…
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