URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Urbana Police Department has been working toward a new specialty unit, built to strengthen trust.
Now, the Community Engagement Team is sending officers out, with the sole mission of creating relationships with their neighbors and community partners across the city.
The city council gave their approval for this new team in their budget last June. On Thursday, a lieutenant and a sergeant in Urbana said that there’s more to policing than just enforcement, and their community engagement team is proof.
“This idea has been brewing for a long time,” Lieutenant Matthew McKinney said.
Community engagement has always been a foundational pillar at the Urbana Police Department.
“But, dedicating the time and resources is difficult because we have to answer radio calls for service,” McKinney shared.
He said that it’s always been a staffing game and getting the team off the ground required them to have enough manpower.
“It’s such an important role and responsibility,” McKinney added, “It will be such a big lift for both the community and our department. We didn’t feel like we could wait anymore.”
However, with the department close to being fully staffed, they’ve not only launched their community engagement team, they’ve appointed a sergeant to lead it.
“It’s kind of personal for me, just because of how law enforcement is perceived in a lot of community members eyes, and that’s one of the reason why I got into it,” the Community Engagement Team Sergeant, Antwan Funches, said.
He has been with Urbana police since 2023, and while his position has changed, his passion never has.
“One of things I like to do is be involved in the community,” Funches shared.
McKinney added that the team stemmed from their decision that just letting the community know resources were available wasn’t enough.
“We need to be able to build those resources and have good relationships and connections to know which resources are available, who the person is that we can direct them to,” McKinney said.
And Funches will be working closely alongside their community partners like DREAAM and Courage Connection, proving actions speak louder than words, and there’s always more behind the badge.
“I’m an individual, I’m human, and I also live in the community as well, so I just feel like building trust, being dependable, and keeping our word,” Funches said.
Next steps include appointing two officers to Funches’ team.
According to WCIA.