CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, IL (Chambana Today) Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman has released the 2024 Annual Report for the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, offering a comprehensive overview of the department’s activities, statistics, and accomplishments over the past year. This report, a tradition since Heuerman took office, highlights notable trends in crime, arrests, and traffic enforcement.

Key Findings in the 2024 Report:

  • Decrease in Calls for Service: The Sheriff’s Office saw a decline in calls for service, down to 13,938 from 14,591 in 2023.
  • Increase in Arrests: Arrests rose slightly from 576 in 2023 to 590 in 2024. The most common offenses included arrest warrants (17%), domestic battery (10%), and driving under the influence of alcohol (5%).
  • Notices to Appear on the Rise: Notices to Appear for non-traffic-related offenses increased to 197, up from 170 in 2023.
  • More Traffic Stops: Deputies conducted 3,390 traffic stops in 2024, a notable increase from 2,967 in the previous year. These resulted in 2,237 citations and 1,875 warnings.
  • Traffic Accidents: Traffic accidents also rose, with 448 investigations, compared to 407 in 2023. The increase included 125 incidents with injuries and 6 fatalities.
  • Firearm Seizures: A total of 63 firearms were seized, including 40 handguns, 12 rifles, and 11 shotguns.
  • Shooting Incidents: The number of shooting incidents investigated decreased from 13 in 2023 to 8 in 2024, suggesting a positive trend in public safety.
  • Jail Intakes: Jail intakes decreased significantly, from 4,803 in 2023 to 4,193 in 2024. Notably, 3,564 of these were law enforcement arrests, and 629 resulted from sentencing. Top charges for jail intakes included arrest warrants (34%), domestic battery (8%), and driving under the influence (5%).
  • Jail Population: The average daily jail population dropped from 302 in 2023 to 235 in 2024.

Sheriff Heuerman expressed satisfaction with the year’s progress but emphasized the continued focus on community safety and crime prevention as priorities for the Sheriff’s Office.

For more information or inquiries, contact the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office at 217-384-1205 or sheriff@champaigncountyil.gov.