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About Check CU
This non-profit site was established to aid in disseminating information about relevant issues in the Champaign-Urbana area. Transparency and access to public records is paramount to functioning government and since the public bodies within CU are failing in that regard, civilians must do the work. If you have files or documents that are of public interest, please consider sending them to Check CU so that we can make them publicly accessible.
-Christopher Hansen, Founder
Latest articles
Rantoul Police Release Video & Reports on Fatal Police Shooting – Illinois
Village of Rantoul Police Officer Jose Aceves shows other officers the trail of blood on the ground after fatally shooting a man during a car theft investigation The Village of Rantoul, Illinois has released some records related to a fatal officer involved shooting...
Urbana Alderman Lays Out Some Simple Fixes for Police Contracts – Illinois
On March 13th, 2023, just before a final vote on a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) contract, one member of the Urbana City Council laid out just how straightforward basic police accountability can be. Or rather, could have been, if anyone had listened. We...
These Sites are Combatting Government Secrecy and Making Information Free – Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
A screenshot of the Illinois Documents website, where hundreds of Central Illinois public officials are listed in a single directory In recognition of Sunshine Week, Check CU would like to draw attention to some Central Illinois resources that make public records and...
The Pioneer of Urbana’s Illegal Records Denial Schemes – Illinois
Urbana City Clerk Charlie Smyth pioneered records denial schemes that continue to be repeated and cause damage today In recognition of Sunshine Week, Check CU presents the elected official who pioneered illegal public records denial schemes for the City of Urbana,...
Attorney General Kicks off Sunshine Week with PAC Annual Report – Illinois
The Illinois Attorney General released the 2022 Public Access Counselor’s Annual Report on March 13th in recognition of Sunshine Week. The annual PAC reports are a good resource for anyone interested in keeping up to date on issues related to the Open Meetings...
Councilperson Chaundra Bishop on Police Reform, Then and Now – Urbana, Illinois
Ward 5 Councilperson Chaundra Bishop made big promises on police reform during her campaign in 2020/2021, but her actions on Council indicate that she actually wants to slow down and prevent reforms. Some of the new Urbana, Illinois City Council members appear to have...
Urbana Officers Draw Guns on Shoplifter over Bottle of Bourbon
Urbana, Illinois Police Officer Eric Ruff is frequently quick to violence when interacting with residents Another use of force incident by Urbana Police seems to show that officers are ready to draw their guns for almost any type of call, even when there is no...
Urbana Council Ignores Pleas for Police Reform, Advances 3 Year Police Contract – Illinois
Interim Chief of Police Richard Surles (center table, right) and Finance Director Elizabeth Hannan (center table, left) represented the people of Urbana in their negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police last year (for an explanation, see CU-Perspective’s...
Video Shows Confession & Arrest of U of I Police Officer Kiel Cotter
This is the moment that University of Illinois Police Officer Kiel Cotter learned that he was going to Champaign County jail for his crimes A few brave college students did what the University of Illinois Police Training Institute failed to do: screen police trainees...
Cops Point Guns, Jump on Car Hood, Break Windshield of Teens Sneaking Out on Christmas Night – Urbana, Illinois
Urbana and University of Illinois Police were quick to use excessive force against a group of teens trying to sneak out on a Christmas night. The incident occurred in 2018 when a resident called police, reporting seeing what they thought was suspicious activity...
Urbana Police Unlawfully Conceal Records of Improper TASER Deployment – Illinois
Urbana, Illinois Police Officer Eric L Ruff with his TASER It has been more than a year since Check CU requested public records related to likely police misconduct involving Urbana, Illinois Officer Eric L. Ruff. In January of 2022 we learned of an incident...
Urbana Officer Batters Psych Patient in Hospital
Urbana, Illinois Officer Eric L. Ruff (previously an officer for the Village of Rantoul) has a long history of using excessive force against residents Check CU is reviewing another violent incident involving Urbana, Illinois Police Officer Eric Ruff. On March...
Urbana Officer has History of Punching People in the Head – Illinois
Urbana, Illinois Police Officer Eric L. Ruff (center) Urbana, Illinois Police Officer Eric Ruff gained local notoriety in 2020 for kneeing a young woman in the ribs, and punching her in the head after she was tackled to the pavement. After video of the arrest...
Energy Salesman Pulls Gun on Illinois Resident – Urbana, IL
A dangerous interaction in Urbana, Illinois resulted in an armed “high risk” response by police, and the outcome raises a lot of questions about public safety and police documentation. On March 13th, 2020, an energy salesman ignored signs prohibiting...
Urbana Staff Full of Excuses for Repeated Broadcast Failures – Illinois
Urbana residents who tried to watch the Committee of the Whole meeting this evening saw this frozen image and heard no audio during important public input on the police contract negotiation process. Years after becoming aware of shortcomings in their IT department,...
U of I Professor’s Terrorism Allegations Put to Rest after Federal Lawsuit – Illinois
University of Illinois Professor Erik J. Sacks, after performing research on the internet, concluded that everyone running against him in a City Council election was an extremist terrorist. Conspiracy theories touted by University of Illinois Professor and prior...
Urbana Council Shows Disdain for Police Reform – Illinois
Urbana City Council member Jaya Kolisetty, along with other Council members who campaigned heavily on police reform, have taken no action in pursuit of reforms, and have repeatedly pushed to keep the public in the dark. It has been a year since Check CU published the...
Evanston Sued for Concealing Police Misconduct Complaints – Illinois
The City of Evanston, Illinois is being sued for unlawfully concealing police misconduct records. Check CU filed the lawsuit in Cook County Court on September 30th, 2022, alleging violations of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The lawsuit shows that on...
Latest records
Vega v. Chicago Board of Education, Opinion and Order (Case Cited by Urbana City Attorney James Simon to Justify Public Input Restrictions)
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Open in new tab Milestone v. City of Monroe, Opinion (Case Cited by Urbana City Attorney James Simon to Justify Public Input Restrictions)
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Urbana Police Officers Composite Photo
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Urbana Police Department Job Related Injuries and Death (November 1993 – August 2020)
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