A few brave college students did what the University of Illinois Police Training Institute failed to do: screen police trainees for abusive and criminal conduct. On June 19, 2022, University of Illinois Police Officer Kiel Cotter was arrested and charged for stealing a wallet, possessing and brandishing a firearm while intoxicated, and professional misconduct.
The incident involved Cotter approaching a group of young college students in a parking lot on the U of I campus and representing himself as an undercover police officer. Cotter, who was off duty and not in uniform, removed his gun from his waistband and showed his badge.
Apparently, the students were unsure if they might be in trouble at the time, then somehow Officer Cotter ended up accompanying them to other locations, including a bar and restaurant. At one location, Cotter took one of the female victim’s wallets and put it in his waistband.
Large portions of the related police reports from the City of Champaign are inexplicably redacted, but at least one of the victim’s indicated that after the incident “Kiel then took off running down the alley…” and a short time later they realized he had stolen the wallet.
The incident was reported a little after 3am and Cotter was located in his apartment later that day, along with the wallet of one of his victims.
Check CU has acquired police records on the incident as well as video which shows the resulting interview, arrest, and jail booking of Officer Cotter.
In the video, City of Champaign Police Officer David Monahan interviews Cotter at the Champaign Police station before putting him under arrest. Cotter claims multiple times that he was too intoxicated to recollect what had occurred the night before, but he does seem to selectively remember enough details to attempt to downplay the situation.
In an apparent attempt to build comradery with Monahan during the interview, Cotter also insults his female victim multiple times (making jokes about her appearance or level of attractiveness).
Champaign officers transported Cotter to the Champaign County jail immediately after the interview where he was booked on a felony charge of professional misconduct and awaited bail instructions from a judge. Video of the booking process and officer interactions at the jail are also included within the same video file posted below.
Copies of the related police reports from the Champaign Police Department (labeled C2220057) are also provided below. The City of Champaign continues to unlawfully deny some of the videos – Check CU will file suit if necessary to acquire them and they will be shared with the public when available.
Loading…
Reload document 
Open in new tab
Kiel Cotter making nasty comments about the female victim is absolutely disgusting. I hope she sues him and the university.
She might have a case.
Unless shes ugly. Then the truth is the truth.
Her looks has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW SICK THIS POS IS!
Ikr? This makes me sick even the arresting officer he should stopped babyish g him and said you robbed and lady and scared young college students your fired and I hope you rot in jail bc anyone else that rob and ran and flourished a gun would of been charged with so much more than this p.o.s. I hope his girlfriend left his ass
that’s not how this works
I know it’s not an excuse but you act stupider while drinking. He admitted he doesn’t rarely drink. He definitely did wrong and seemed genuinely sorry about his actions. He is young and I’m not sure his years on the police force but we all know they all usually have large egos to begin with. Like I said – no excuse. But he is human and definitely messed up. Seems he might be paying for his mistakes with his job. He really only hurt feelings- luckily.
If he was a 21 years old black man a pull out a gun and rob your daughter, then said he was drunk and sorry. Would you still feel the same?
Exactly!! He is hardly male model material himself, and why the preferential treatment,put him in with the rest of the cons and let them see how much of a pretty boy he is!!
Sue them for him calling her ugly? Yeah, ok. I’m guessing you are an ugly girl.
sue for what? exercising his first ammendment?
No sue , for robbing her at gun point
Should sue Jack daniels for making him get drunk and ending up with ugly people