The ILEAS Mission
We strive to meet the needs of law enforcement throughout the state of Illinois in matters of mutual aid, emergency response, and the combining of resources for public safety.
"STRENGTH THROUGH COOPERATION"
(217) 328-3800 | 1701 E. Main Street Urbana, IL 61802
SAVE THE DATE for the 2023 ILEAS Conference! After a few years away, we are ready to host our 17th Annual Conference on March 27-29, 2023. This year the conference will be held at the “I Hotel and Conference Center” in Champaign, Illinois. Plans are underway to bring you 2 ½ days of informative presentations, new vendor products and services as well as plenty of networking opportunities.
Update - The 40 ballistic shields were distributed to the 20 teams/agencies across the State on August 26th at the end of a one week tactical shield use course. This course was conducted by the ILEAS WMD Special Response Team training cadre.
Update - The hostage phones will be distributed to the 15 teams/agencies on November 10th at the ILEAS Training Center. This training will be conducted by the manufacturer, 836 Technology, officials.
ILEAS utilized $450,000 of Federal Homeland Security Grant funds to provide crisis negotiator phone systems and ballistic shields to 35 specialized tactical and negotiator units across the State. The funds came from Federal FY20 State Homeland Security Program and Federal FY20 & FY21 Urban Area Security Initiative grants. Applicant agencies/teams participated in a competitive application process. They were awarded the equipment based on several factors including need. Additionally, in an effort to provide resources throughout the State, geographic location was considered. ILEAS’ motto is, “Strength Through Cooperation.” Priority was given to applicants participating in multi-jurisdictional teams and efforts where this equipment can be shared across a wide-ranging area. While 35 awards were made, well over 150 law enforcement agencies will benefit from these grants.
Twenty Teams/Agencies were awarded a set of two ballistic shields each. These shields are rated for handgun and rifle rounds and intended to protect officers as they approach an armed subject or active shooter situation. This safety equipment is invaluable during armed confrontations. Given the potential for active shooters, ILEAS also focused on the community college police departments across Illinois.
Fifteen Teams/Agencies received a negotiations communications system. These systems are used by trained negotiators to communicate at a distance with a hostage taker, armed barricaded subjects and armed potentially suicidal people. This technology provides a secure and reliable methodology of communicating in those situations in an attempt to de-escalate and close the situation peacefully.
In order to receive the equipment, officers must attend training at the ILEAS Training Center in Urbana on how to deploy the shields and how to operate the negotiator equipment. Click here for a list of the awardees.
During the 2020-2021 COVID mass-closing years, the activity at the ILEAS Training Center (ITC) dropped off dramatically. However, in 2022 activity has picked up. For example this week the following training and events are taking place at the ITC:
Including staff, instructors and team leaders, there were over 110 people participating in important training and events at the ITC this week. Another nine events are taking place next week involving over 145 people. This includes CNA School, City of Urbana Executive Meeting, Explorers, Communications Liaison Class, K9 Training, Champaign County Search and Rescue Class/Open House and Peer to Peer Investigations.
Since the ILEAS Training Center was opened in June of 2008, there have been:
The General Assembly allocated $3 million to ILEAS to begin a remodeling and expansion project at the ITC. The funds are coming from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through the City of Urbana. ILEAS, in concert with Champaign County, plan to do required infrastructure improvements (asbestos abatement/HVAC improvements), Parking lot resurface and expansion, converting two under-used wings into more usable scenario space and improvements to the basement communications storage facility. ILEAS has engaged IGW Architecture to conduct a feasibility study on a potential expansion of adding a larger auditorium, more classroom space, a consolidated warehouse, inclement weather indoor training space and other improvements in the future.
A recent economic survey revealed that ILEAS has had a $41 million dollar impact on the local Champaign/Urbana economy largely from payroll, vendor payments, leases, hotels, contractors, money spent by the 71,000 students that attended training at the ITC, etc. With the proposed expansion, this will increase signficantly.
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