Community Engagement

For UICPD’s Annual Holiday Initiative, the department again collaborated with community partner and neighborhood school, John M. Smyth Elementary, to support its students and families during the holiday season. UICPD sponsored an entire third grade class of 35 students who wrote letters to Santa with a “wish list” of 3 – 5 items they would like to receive for the holidays. During the students’ last day of school, UICPD personnel visited the classroom to see the students open their gifts. As an extra treat, the students were able to meet Santa’s newest helper, UICPD Therapy Dog Pawfficer Ham.

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, UICPD hosted its biannual Breast Cancer Awareness
Bake Sale. The bake sale goal is to bring members of the UIC community together while
raising awareness for this very important cause through the donation of baked goods from
UICPD staff and local businesses. UICPD then sells the baked goods at a low price to UIC
students, faculty, staff and residents.

In partnership with the University of Illinois Cancer Center, this year we raised $1,006.00
($634.00 in cash and $372.00 in online donations)! The proceeds were solely based off sales
made from the bake sale and will be used to support the Cancer Center’s community outreach
and engagement programs. Learn more by clicking the link below.

During the annual Cop on the Rooftop initiative, Special Olympics Illinois has raised over
$1 million dollars statewide. In May, UICPD raised nearly $3,000 at 1651 W. Roosevelt Rd.
The funds raised through this initiative will directly support the extraordinary and talented
athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.

For more information about Special Olympics Illinois please visit www.soill.org.
You can also view statewide media coverage of the event that includes the UICPD location.

At the Criminology, Law and Justice Career Fair, students heard a variety of perspectives and
learned about careers in the field. Law enforcement, counseling, social work, research, family and
domestic violence advocacy, legal, forensic anthropology/special investigation and government
agencies like UICPD, FBI, DEA, U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Chicago
Housing Authority participated in the event.

UICPD officers answered questions, shared their interests and connected with students who
attended. They also participated in 15-minute sessions in the event’s “Think Tank” room, where
students could obtain advice and career strategies.

During the spring 2022 and fall 2023 semesters, UICPD collaborated with the university to host a series of Active Threat Preparedness Seminars. The seminars were designed to better prepare the UIC community to effectively respond if an active threat is present on campus. After each session, active threat preparedness protocol documents and a variety of safety and preparedness response resources were provided to participants. Frequently asked questions were also addressed.

UICPD participated in a fun scavenger hunt day of Trick or Treating in Student Center East that gave students an opportunity to walk the campus. All participants were given a stamp or punch card with all the SCE departments on it, where students had the opportunity to go around the building and find each department on the card. This event allowed UICPD the opportunity to talk to the students about safety resources and our new Campus Safety Resource Center.

Later that day. UICPD officers decorated the squad car and participated in a pop-up community-based truck or treat with the neighborhood businesses and area youth.

In the effort to promote personal safety across campus throughout the year, UICPD partnered with different university departments, including the Office of Preparedness and Response, Transportation, Cybersecurity and the Environmental Health and Safety Office to educate the UIC community about available safety resources.

2023 College of Dentistry Welcome Back Party

.

.

UIC Police partnered with the Student Activities Board and the College of Nursing for UIC’s annual Doggypalooza, which is designed to help students and staff decompress during finals week. Events were held at the MAC gym on east campus and the College of Nursing on west campus.

The Orland Park and Worth police departments and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office provided therapy dogs for students to enjoy and interact with. The dogs are trained to help reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, promote social interaction and more for officers who have been through unforgettable and life-changing experiences on the job.

Trained therapy dogs provide psychological and physiological benefits to humans. The dogs also participate in police-sponsored events like Doggypalooza to shine a spotlight on mental health and victim advocacy.

The “pawcifers” and their handlers joined UICPD’s P.A.C.E. unit to bring joy, stress relief and decompression to UIC students and staff and UICPD looks forward to future on-campus collaborations with these wonderful officers and their amazing canine partners.

UIC Police partnered with the Cook County State Attorney Community Justice Center to host a free self-defense course for UIC faculty, staff, students, and local community residents on October14, 2022 with the Physical Education Building (PEB). The training was held in PEB dance studio room B73 and the type of self-defense taught was Krav Maga.

The course was a pilot specifically scheduled in October to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month and place an emphasis on domestic violence survivors. The P.A.C.E. unit used the course to increase domestic violence awareness and hopes to continue the course through November and December and open up availability to the entire campus community. The course is a hands-on training that consists of punches, kicks, choking from behind, bearhugs, and using voice action/response to defend against an attacker.

As part of this partnership, UIC is guaranteed a minimum of 15 slots each session with priority currently being given to student athletes who wish to take the course.

For more information about this type of self-defense, please visit kravmagaillinois.com.

On April 22, 2022, there was a large fire at the Collins Senior Apartments located at 1401 S. Blue Island Ave. As a result, several seniors were displaced, and some remain in the hospital due to their injuries. There is an urgent need for blankets and comforters due to the destruction caused by the fire. UIC Police P.A.C.E. Unit responded immediately facilitated donations of new or gently used blanket and comforter to assist the seniors in need.

UIC Police partnered with student organization, Colleges Against Cancer, to support one of their biggest fundraising events of the year, UIC Relay for Life. Colleges Against Cancer is a student organization that enhances cancer awareness at UIC and works in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. The purpose of UIC Relay for Life is to commemorate cancer survivors, those who have lost their lives to cancer, and their loved ones. Officers participated in outdoor relay races, sand volleyball, and yoga. Over there was over 3400 dollars raised to donate to the American Cancer Society.

UIC Athletic connections invited UIC Police P.A.C.E. unit to represent UICPD at their Career Night for Athletics at the Forum. One of the PA.C.E. Officers, who is a former UIC athlete, was asked to speak with the students on navigating different career options and how to identify a develop valuable connections. Other members of the unit were present and supported the event by offering public safety perspectives and intentional engagement with UIC Athletics.

The 18th annual Dunkin’ Donuts Cop on a Rooftop event was able to bring the community and UICPD together to raise awareness and money for the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois! We were able to sell travel mugs, t-shirts, hats, pins, and raffle tickets. UICPD was able to raise over $2,500.00 for the 2021 campaign!

Over 400 student organizations, university departments, and neighboring businesses were on hand to greet and welcome students back to campus at this year’s virtual and in-person Involvement Fair. Members of the UICPD PACE Unit were able to engage with students by setting up an informational table to promote UICPD involvement opportunities, as well as various safety resources. This four-day event was attended by thousands of UIC students, faculty, and staff.

National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. UICPD was able to collaborate with the Chicago Police 12^th District CAPS Unit to provide resources and giveaways to community members of all ages.

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-demonstrate-support-for-the-community

During Domestic Violence Awareness month, UICPD collaborated with a local advocacy organization, The Network, who provides services to domestic violence survivors. With the increased request for assistance during the coronavirus pandemic, UICPD was informed that domestic violence shelters in Illinois are in need of specific items. Department members donated educational children’s activities, feminine hygiene products, coloring books, markers, and crayons, and art supplies. The Network is affiliated with thirty (30) other domestic violence organizations throughout the state; this ensured that all donations collected were directed to where they can have the most impact.

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-demonstrate-support-for-the-community

UICPD collaborated with its local community partner, Connecting4Communities, to support our neighborhood school, John M. Smyth Elementary. In previous years, during the holiday season, department members donated toys to the school as part of its Secret Santa program. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic this year, UICPD modified the initiative and department personnel along with community supporters provided the entire fourth grade cohort of 51 students each with $25 gift cards. With the financial surplus from the donations after purchasing the gift cards, the department worked with the school to identify two families most in need and provided them with $100 gift cards. The department’s collaboration with Connecting4Communities allowed us to positively impact more than 300 school families during a very different type of holiday season.

https://today.uic.edu/join-uic-police-in-supporting-special-olympics

http://news.uic.edu/cops-on-a-rooftop

Each year UICPD donates time and funding in efforts to raise additional funding for the Special Olympics. The department collaborates with local Dunkin’ Donuts locations to help raise the funds for the Law Enforcement Torch run, which benefits Special Olympics athletes in Illinois. Everyone who donates gets a coupon for free donuts; donations over $10 receive a mug, coupon for coffee, and other incentives (t-shirts, hats, and raffle tickets to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle).

Senior Toiletry Initiative

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-launch-drive-to-benefit-seniors-in-community

In efforts to provide additional support and resources to the neighborhood Senior Housing Complex George W. Collins, UICPD conducted a needs assessment with management to understand what would best benefit the senior residents. UICPD provided on-campus donation collection boxes to gather new and unopened essential toiletries. The items donated by the UIC community included toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, paper towels, dish towels, toilet paper, cotton swabs, bandages, laundry detergent, fabric softener, bleach, dish detergent, soap and body wash, air fresheners and cleaning supplies.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, UICPD semiannually hosts a Bake Sale/Fundraiser. All proceeds raised from this event are donated to a local Breast Cancer Foundation, Susan G. Komen Foundation (Chicago).

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-deliver-donations-to-pacific-garden-mission

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-launch-jeans-donation-drive

Through our past initiatives, UICPD has supported the men who transition through the Pacific Garden Mission Shelter. The Pacific Garden Mission has been a place for refuge and transformation for the homeless in the Chicago area. After recognizing that there was a significant shortage in donations of men’s jeans, UICPD recently provided them with clean, serviceable men’s jeans. UICPD collected donations from department personnel and the UIC campus community by setting up drop off boxes around the UIC campus.

https://today.uic.edu/uic-police-launch-shower-shoe-drive-to-benefit-pacific-garden-mission

The Pacific Garden Mission has been a place for refuge and transformation for the homeless in the Chicago area. In 2018, UICPD raised donations of 600+ new shower shoes for the men and woman at Pacific Garden Mission. UIC Police Department continues to work with Pacific Gardens to assist their shortage in new shower shoes. UIC Police Department collected donations of new shower shoes at different drop off locations around the UIC Campus.

UICPD frequently collaborates with the neighborhood housing complex residents, Barbara Jean Wright Court, and UIC Athletics to engage UIC Athletic Department and UICPD Officers on an interpersonal level. In 2017, UICPD hosted two separate Softball and Volleyball games with the student athletics, Barbara Jean Wright Court residents, and UICPD Officers.

https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/chui2019

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Over the recent years UICPD has partnered with UI Health Children’s Hospital for an amazing day of raising awareness, head shaving, and donating for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.