UIPD Perspectives: Protection of minors specialist committed to keeping kids safe
By Abbigail Kepp URBANA, Illinois — The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign creates educational and developmental spaces for people of all ages, children included. With so many events throughout the year for which minors will be present on campus, University Police have processes in place to keep kids safe. University Police are highlighting the program in observation of Child Abuse Prevention Month. One person in particular serves as the central manager of those efforts. In 2019, Stephanie Vogelsang was hired as the Protection of Minors Compliance Specialist. The position was created when university administrators determined that having a full-time employee dedicated solely [...]
Community names new University Police therapy K9
URBANA, Ill. – There’s a new Kirby in town. The University of Illinois Police Department’s newest therapy dog – still a puppy – got his official name in March after Illinois Student Government representatives submitted nominations and community members were polled on four name options. After submitting just over 1,000 votes in total, more than half of voters preferred Kirby. Kirby is named after the well-known Kirby Avenue, an arterial road through campus bordered by iconic Fighting Illini athletic facilities like Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center. Kirby Avenue is a center of activity for students, faculty, staff, alumni and [...]
UIPD Perspectives: Detective puts survivors back in control
URBANA, Ill. — Ensuring student, faculty and staff safety is the leading goal for the University of Illinois Police Department — especially Detective Michelle Kaeding. Kaeding has been with University Police for six and a half years and joined the detective bureau as the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coordinator in July 2021. In working with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, one of her key roles is safety planning. “Safety plans are essentially something that we can generate and offer to our community members who may be in domestic violence or sexual misconduct situations,” Kaeding said. “They can include [...]
UIPD Perspectives: New officer wants to prevent jail time
URBANA, Ill. – University of Illinois Police Officer Danya Brolon’s thinking differs quite a bit from the traditional stereotype of cops who just want to put bad guys in jail. Hers is a perspective that came from a previous job experience, when she spent five years at the Champaign County Jail as a corrections officer. As a corrections officer, “I got to work with a lot of people,” Brolon said. “A lot of good officers and a lot of community members who made me realize that there’s not much difference sometimes between the people who are behind the bars and [...]
Brauer named Emergency Management lead
This week, Brian Brauer started as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s first Executive Director of Emergency Management. He’s no stranger to campus though – Brauer has served the Illinois Fire Institute for more than 23 years – most recently as its Associate Director. There, he educated and trained firefighters throughout the state of Illinois. He moved to Champaign-Urbana in 1990 to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. For the past two years, Brauer has been an integral part of the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, he co-managed the Campus Emergency Operations Center. He [...]