Sheriff Updates

A few Champaign County Sheriff items have been in the news recently, including the release of the CCSO's 2019 annual report, a recent News-Gazette article on the new Sheriff's first year in office, and an annual scholarship that could use more applicants. There were Jail Updates on the Cheat Sheet earlier this week on the latest on the County Board and jail consolidation planning. First on the annual report available here.

The annual report has 38 pages with lots of pictures, organizational charts, and overviews of the various areas of responsibility handled by the Sheriff's Office. From rural law enforcement needs and Student Resource Officers to backing up local agencies within the county and providing jails/correction services. The jails and correction side gets a nice basic overview starting on page 20 which later gets into demographic data and intake data on pages 23-34. Excerpt from page 21 of the report:

Two of the biggest issues affecting the Champaign County Jail, and jails across the nation, are mental health and classification issues. As such, an initiative has been underway to not only provide a facility that can adequately address the mental health and medical needs of inmates in custody, but also work to build community alternatives to divert people from jail who do not pose a safety risk and might be better served with community alternatives to incarceration. Regarding classification, some inmates cannot be around others – female inmates, inmates with mental health issues, and rival gang members are some examples. This has caused strain on jail resources to adequately meet classification standards while maintaining a safe facility for inmates and correctional staff.

On page 34 is an overview of the various programs already being implemented in the jails' current space:

I've been slowly gathering information on programs and resources related to the jail and reentry via the Champaign County Reentry Council to share as I can. There is more information on the Cheat Sheet about Criminal Justice programs at various steps of the criminal justice process here.

The News-Gazette's coverage of the Sheriff's first year highlighted some of the learning curve issues of taking over an office like this:

— “Figuring out the jail. I had no corrections experience. Law enforcement I knew. Figuring out the standards and the people we’re dealing with and how we manipulate all the people (in custody) to make sure its a safe environment was a learning curve.”

— “We’re going through union negotiations. I have always been on the union side. I have to stop and remember what side I’m on now.”

— “Figuring out how the sheriff’s office fits in with the violent crime in Champaign and Urbana while still making sure we’re serving the unincorporated areas to our full potential. We always work well together, but we want to make sure we’ve discussed with the big chiefs how to take a proactive role to make sure we don’t see the violence levels (increase). It’s a much more coordinated effort.”

More at that full article here.

The Daily Illini had an overview of the Illinois Sheriffs' Association Scholarship that needs more applicants and which our County Sheriff has been trying to get more attention for. From the Daily Illini earlier this week:

The ISA will be awarding over $58,000 in college scholarships throughout the state of Illinois to students who are pursuing higher education. Requirements to obtain this scholarship include being a permanent Illinois resident, using the scholarship for higher institutes in Illinois and being enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year.

Dustin Heuerman, sheriff for Champaign County, said he hopes this scholarship will have a positive effect on the recipient with financial need. Heuerman will be awarding one scholarship of $500...

Karli Waldrep, last year’s scholarship recipient, student at Northern Illinois University and Champaign County native, said she was grateful for receiving the scholarship. According to Waldrep, she said local scholarships should be recognized more by students to get additional financial help.

“With local scholarships, they want students to go to college and help with their financial need for college,” Waldrep said. “I feel like you’re better off getting local scholarships than if you try to go on a website and apply for a random scholarship where millions of students apply.”

That full article with a lot more details here. The scholarship application is available here form the ISA's website to be turned in to your local Sheriff's Office.