EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter is a direct rebuttal to an election letter printed in Tuesday’s Urbana Daily Citizen. This rebuttal is permitted for publication by the UDC’s election letters policy because it directly and specifically disputes a previous letter writer’s own details of a crime investigation related to a break-in at a church.

Dale Thompson’s account alleges the Deputy took over three hours to respond, and once on scene, reportedly stated that she was the only deputy on duty that afternoon.

These statements are factually incorrect.

On October 8, 2019, at 3:40 p.m. a call was generated by the 911 Center. There was no immediate threat to persons or property, Deputies were handling multiple calls of higher priority.

Upon arrival, information was obtained and the scene was processed. Lack of evidence could not support an immediate arrest.

The report was assigned to a Sheriff’s Detective for follow up investigation.

Detectives filed criminal charges on November 21, 2019.

The suspect was found guilty and sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Matthew R. Melvin

Champaign County Sheriff