Last week, Check CU published an article about former Champaign Police Chief Robert T Finney landing a teaching job at Parkland College. His new job in Parkland’s Criminal Justice Facility is the first time that Finney has worked in the law enforcement field in Champaign since his resignation a decade ago.
Finney resigned his Chief of Police position after his involvement in the 2009 shooting and killing of 15-year old Kiwane Carrington. Finney and his partner, Daniel Norbits, shot the boy after suspicion of a break-in, though Carrington was merely entering a relative’s home at which he frequently stayed. Finney and Norbits claimed they killed the boy by accident, but many in the community believe it was murder.
Check CU has acquired new records from Parkland College which show that Finney is teaching “Introduction to Criminal Justice” and “Community Policing/Problem Solving”. Finney has had over three dozen students, though it is unknown how many are destined to be police officers in the C-U area.
Thus far, Parkland College has paid Finney a “stipend” of $3,675.00 for each course.
Robert T Finney’s course list, syllabi, grading and course requirements, course enrollment, office hours, and stipend payments can be viewed in the records here (click for full 16-page PDF):
Finney did NOT resign “after his involvement in the 2009 shooting and killing of 15-year old Kiwane Carrington.” Finney resigned in the fall of 2011 after the dashcam video was publicly released of Champaign Police Officer Patrick Simons pepper spraying an African American jaywalker and then throttling him in the backseat of his squad car. The victim’s family hired an attorney, filed a complaint and sued the City. At that time, all police complaints were decided by the Police Chief. Finney found nothing wrong with the arrest. Legend has it, after yet another public outcry over Finney’s handling of this case, City Manager Steve Carter summoned Finney to his office and gave him a choice, you can be fired or you can retire. But that is only rumor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOCEuAu5Aek