UBARNA ILLINOIS — URBANA, Cook County, Illinois – Alice Cary, currently the Executive Director and Chief of Police of the Silverthorne (Colorado) Police Department, made the announcement today that she has taken a position with the Silverthorne (Colorado) Police Department as its next Chief of Police. In the latter part of September, she will work her last day at the Division of Public Safety.
The new Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police will be found through a search that will be conducted across the nation. As of the end of Cary’s last day, Deputy Chief Matt Ballinger will be appointed to the job on an interim basis, pending confirmation by the Board of Trustees. This appointment will take effect immediately. “It is with mixed feelings that I have accepted a new position in Colorado so that I can be closer to family,” Chief Cary stated. “It is my hope that this move will allow me to spend more quality time with them.” “My time at Illinois has been nothing short of amazing, and I am especially grateful for the chances it has given me to cultivate genuine relationships with people both within the Division of Public Safety and out in the community.”
In July of 2020, Cary was promoted to the position of Chief of the Division of Public Safety. Within the first year of her tenure, she was the driving force behind the introduction of two initiatives: the Response, Evaluation, and Crisis Help (REACH) program, as well as the Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST). REACH was developed as the first co-responder model in the area to increase the Division’s mental health support services. COAST was able to strengthen the department’s community engagement and safety education activities. Both of these initiatives are currently being utilized as examples by police agencies all around the United States.
Cary was also instrumental in securing an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Champaign and the University of Illinois. As part of this arrangement, the Champaign Police Department agreed to temporarily cede primary jurisdiction over some off-campus properties to the University of Illinois Police Department. The expansion of UIPD’s responsibilities in the Campustown region has been successful so far. University Police have been able to provide service to a community that is predominantly comprised of college-aged individuals, which has allowed Champaign Police resources to be redistributed to other areas of the city. During the past three years, “We have built strong momentum with new safety initiatives, some of which are now being used as models at police departments across the country,” said Cary.
For the past four years, Ballinger has been a member of the command staff of the department, and for the past two of those years, he has served in the role of deputy chief. In 2004, he was appointed to his position as a police officer. Ballinger has worked for the University of Illinois Police Department for the past 19 years. During that time, he has held the positions of patrol officer, field training officer, METRO SWAT commander, and one of the first supervisors of the multi-jurisdictional Street Crimes Task Force. In recognition of his service to the community as a law enforcement officer, he was awarded the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor in 2012. Ballinger served in the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion for a total of four years before becoming a member of the campus community. In the year 2020, he graduated from the Administrative Officer course offered by the Southern Police Institute.
During the course of the past three years, Ballinger and Cary have collaborated on a variety of projects, including those pertaining to the COAST, REACH, and Campustown jurisdictions. He has substantial experience working both on the streets and in administrative capacities in the police force. Because of the length of time he has spent working on campus, he has established solid ties with members of the local community and gained an in-depth understanding of the requirements of the student body. Cary stated that there is a solid plan in place to ensure business continuity during this time of transition. “The exceptional staff of the Division of Public Safety is on a solid foundation to continue promoting a safe campus environment where education, research, and public service can all flourish.”
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