[CPRB] Fwd: [cu_citizens] Urbana P.D. Community Forums

[John W.]

Here's something else I just read today for the first time.  ;-(

John


>To: cu_citizens at yahoogroups.com
>From: "Christopher Evans" <caevans2 at hotmail.com>
>Date: Sun, 21 Aug 2005 10:10:53 -0500
>Subject: [cu_citizens] Another reminder
>
>
>
>
>Here is a reminder that, like the Champaign Police Department, Urbana's 
>Police Department will also have community forums where citizens can 
>express concerns.
>
>
>
>Forums to let citizens meet police officers
>
>
>
>By STEVE BAUER
>© 2005 THE NEWS-GAZETTE
>Published Online August 8, 2005
>    URBANA – Citizens in Urbana will have a chance to talk with Urbana 
> police officers in the first of a planned series of town hall forums.
>    The initial forum will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Urbana 
> City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St. All citizens of the community are 
> invited, according to Lt. Pat Connolly, patrol division commander.
>    Additional forums will be held every other month. Originally conceived 
> to be the "First Thursday" program, the Aug. 25 session was scheduled 
> based on access to the council chambers, Connolly said.
>    "It all started with a couple officers saying, 'People come up to me 
> all the time with questions,'" Connolly said. "More officers are coming 
> up with ideas all the time."
>    The format of the forums will be to have different topics presented by 
> members of the police department, followed by open discussions with the 
> audience, Connolly said.
>    Topics for the Aug. 25 forum will be police staffing and parking. 
> Connolly said those issues are timely because the council is considering 
> a plan to add three officers to the authorized manpower and because 
> students are returning to campus soon, which usually brings out concerns 
> about parking restrictions.
>    Future programs will probably include discussions about the citizen 
> complaint process, the process of calling a 911 emergency into the 
> Metropolitan Computer Aided Dispatch service, traffic enforcement and 
> crime issues for senior citizens.
>    Forum participants will undoubtedly suggest other ideas of interest, 
> Connolly said.