The Urbana Police Division welcomed two new officers to fill vacancies.
Both officers passed the August 2015 civil service written and physical fitness testing and were placed on the certified eligibility list.
Officer Cade Hunt, 23, is a resident of West Liberty and had been employed by the Logan County Sheriff’s Office when hired by Urbana. He is a 2011 graduate of West Liberty-Salem High School and a graduate of the 2014 Clark State Community College Basic Police Academy.
He is in his ninth week of training with various field training officers at the police division. He is on track to be given a regular patrol shift assignment during the month of March.
Hunt was sworn in as the 17th officer of the division in December 2015 by the Honorable Judge Gil Weithman. The ceremony was witnessed by co-workers, family and other city officials.
Officer Casey Evans, 23, is an Urbana resident and had been employed at the Champaign County 911 Dispatch Center when hired by Urbana. Evans becomes the 18th officer of the division and the third female officer in its history.
Evans began her 11-week field training program this week. Once her field training is completed in May, she will receive her regular assignment to a patrol shift.
Evans is a 2011 graduate of Urbana High School and a graduate of the 2015 Clark State Community College Basic Police Academy. Her father, Craig, is a retired captain of the Urbana Fire Division and the former director of the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency.
Evans was sworn in by Weithman Wednesday in front of a large crowd of police and firefighters, city officials, family, friends and church members.
Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell stated in a press release that the division is still in the process of hiring additional officers using the current civil service list, which is set to expire in August. He added they will begin their next entry level testing as soon as this list is either exhausted of candidates or the list expires.
“Adding Cade and Casey to the officer ranks of the police division brings great energy and youth to the force,” Lingrell stated. “I believe their local ties is a benefit to both them and to the Urbana community they will serve for many years to come.
“As chief, I know that there will be many triumphs as well as tragedies that these two officers will be a part of dealing with or witness to throughout their careers. I’m certain that both of these officers will be champions for the weak and will help to raise up those who have fallen, all while doing their normal duties of law and order and community service.”
