Champaign offers preventative training for hate crimes
The Illini Hillel, center for Jewish life is pictured above. Hate crimes have recently been reported against local places of worship, and Champaign County has responded with a new training opportunity.
October 21, 2019
The Daily Illini Staff Report
Due to the recent inclination of religious hate crimes, the Champaign-Urbana community has offered training on how to respond to and prevent hate crimes against places of worship.
The training will be held on Thursday from 1-4:30 p.m. at Sinai Temple. The United States Department of Justice Community Relations Service will be hosting the event and discussing the issue.
“It’s important to address this issue now because hate crimes are a reality for our places of worship,” said Rachel Joy, community relations manager and compliance officer for the City of Champaign.
Joy said the program was implemented in Decatur, Illinois, The State’s Attorney’s Office, Champaign County Law Enforcement and cities of Champaign and Urbana, wanted the program to be brought to Champaign County.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
Thomas Yelich, assistant to the police chief for community services, said the training is a “great opportunity” for people of all faiths and the public to receive public safety prevention tips on ways to prevent, address and respond to hate crimes against places of worship.
He said the decision was made to hold the forum to educate the faith-based community of C-U on how they can all come together as one to make sure they’re putting their “best foot forward” to prevent hate crimes and to be prepared should they occur.
“Preparedness and education are important,” Yelich said. “This training will provide information on religious hate crimes, information on emergency planning, preventing and responding to active shooters and fortifying places of worship.”
Officials who are well-versed in criminal justice, law enforcement and hate crime prevention will be present at the event to give as much information as possible.
“We are a very collaborative community, and as we listen to the needs of the public, we will always do our best to provide the training and resources they are requesting,” Yelich said. “This forum is one that our faith-based community was calling for, and we are happy to provide this education for them.”
The training is free to the public. Those who are interested should register online by Monday.
