Urbana Police Deny Records on TASER & Beating Incident

On January 29^th, 2022 Check CU requested a number of records involving police use of force from the City of Urbana, Illinois.  The Urbana Police Department is still refusing to release some police reports and they have refused to release the names of police supervisors for every use of force incident.

Notable examples from the items denied by Urbana Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer Ross McNeil and Urbana Police FOIA Officer Tony Weck were police reports related to a July 17^th, 2020 use of force incident.  On that date, Urbana Police Officers Brian Ingram and Raymond Rich fought with a man and struck him multiple times (possibly with a baton – it is not yet clear).  Officer Eric Ruff then shot the man with his TASER.

The man was arrested and charged with a number of crimes including aggravated battery to a police officer, and he spent nearly fourteen months in jail.  In December of 2021, he was finally released for mental health treatment.

Even though the incident had occurred over nineteen months prior, the Urbana Police Department refused to provide any of their reports, claiming that the release of any portion of their reports would impair a criminal trial.  Ross McNeil and Tony Weck ignored all follow up communications from Check CU asking about the denials.

The denial letter issued by Tony Weck for police reports on case U20-3048 is provided below.  Check CU has the following description of the case, extracted from an Urbana Police Department internal use of force log:

“Wesley was seen running out of the back door and when Officer Rich addressed him, he fled back into the residence. Officer Ingram was inside the residence with RP and tried to grab onto Wesley. Wesley pulled away and fled further into the residence. Officer Ingram and Officer Rich tried to place Wesley under arrest and a tussle occurred between them. Wesley grabbed Officer Rich’s shirt and duty belt and would not let go. Officer Rich took out his baton to use it as a prying tool to get Wesley to release his grip when Wesley grab onto it. Officer Ingram began striking Wesley’s bicep to get him to release his grip and he still refused. Officer Ruff arrived on scene and gave him several verbal commands and he released the baton. However, Wesley was still resisting and refused to put his hands behind his back. Officer Ruff tased Wesley which allowed for officers to get Wesley into custody. Officer Rich sustained minor abrasions from the incident.”