Safety Assessment Management and Mitigation

The Champaign Police Department works hard to keep our community safe. The Safety Assessment Management and Mitigation Team (SAMM) tries to prevent violence by identifying problems early and offering support to those who may need it.

What to Report:

There are several signs that could mean someone needs help. You should report these signs if you notice them.

Behavioral Signs:

  • Motives for Violence: The person feels it’s okay to use violence to solve a problem, get revenge, or make a point.
  • Violent Thoughts or Fantasies: The person often talks or thinks about violent things, like using weapons or hurting others.
  • Threats: The person threatens to hurt someone else, either by talking about it or writing it down.
  • Unauthorized Weapons: The person brings a weapon to the workplace.
  • Planning an Attack: The person is getting ready to hurt someone (like buying weapons or making plans).
  • Negative Attitudes: The person blames others, holds grudges, or seems angry and defensive for no good reason.
  • Mental Health Concerns: The person is acting paranoid, hearing things, or having strange thoughts that might lead to violence.
  • Desperation or Suicidal Thoughts: The person feels hopeless, or talks about hurting themselves or others.
  • Fixation: The person is obsessed with a person or idea in a way that seems unhealthy. This can include:
    • Bringing it up when the topic is not socially relevant or appropriate.
    • Increasing negativity about the person or cause.
    • Increasingly forceful opinion.
    • Impact on the family or associates of the person.
    • Angry emotional undertones.

Physical/Observable Signs:

  • Substance Abuse: The person is struggling with alcohol or drugs and it’s affecting their behavior, like causing anger or violence.
  • Stress or Big Life Changes: The person is having trouble dealing with a major loss, like the death of a family member, or a breakup.
  • Anger Issues: The person is always angry or has outbursts that scare others.
  • Violence in Relationships: The person is hurting or stalking a partner or has done so in the past.
  • Isolation: The person is avoiding friends and family and seems to want to be alone all the time.

Work/School Signs:

  • Problems with Work or School: If a student or employee is missing a lot of work or school, or suddenly changes their behavior.
  • Conflict and Paranoia: The person argues all the time, doesn’t listen to feedback, or seems overly suspicious of others.
  • Aggressive Behavior: The person is being intimidating or aggressive toward others.

Sexual Misconduct or Dating Violence:

  • Stalking: The person has a history of stalking or a pattern of harassment.
  • Domestic/Intimate Partner Violence: The person has a history of partner assault, harassment, surveillance, or stalking, especially if there has been a recent increase.

How to Report:

If you see something that concerns you, you can report it in three ways:

  • Completing the Online Reporting Form, below.
  • Call the SAMM Program at 217-403-6912.
  • Call 911 if there is an immediate emergency or threat.

When you report, try to give clear details about what you’ve seen or heard, without guessing about the person’s mental health.

Submit a Report Now:

Champaign Police ask our community for assistance in recognizing behavior that can be concerning or threatening. Thank you for reporting your concern and keeping our community safe.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: If this is an emergency that involves an imminent risk of harm to self or others, contact police by dialing 911 BEFORE filling out this reporting form.

Reports are reviewed during normal business hours and are not monitored after hours, on weekends, or during official City holidays. Although reports from this form are reviewed by a variety of partners, it is NOT designed for emergency response situations.

Champaign Police will take reasonable steps to maintain the privacy of those who make a referral, if requested. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

Safety Assessment Management and Mitigation Tip Submission

Reporting Party Information

It is strongly recommended that you submit reports with your name and contact information. If you submit an anonymous report, Champaign Police will not be able to follow-up with you and our ability to take action may be limited.
Name

Involved Parties

Please provide a description of the concerning behavior and/or incident. Provide as much detail as possible in the narrative regarding who, what, where, when, etc. Once you have submitted this report, if you have further information to add, please contact the Threat Assessment Team at [email protected].
Name of person of concern(Required)
Home Address

Description of Your Concern

Please select a description of your concern from the list below(Required)
Have there been threats or expressed ideas to harm self or others?(Required)
Have there been behaviors that cause concern for violence to self or others?(Required)
Does the individual have access to weapons or are they attempting to gain access?(Required)
Have they exhibited bizarre thinking or distinctly irrational suspiciousness unsupported by facts?(Required)
Are there current circumstances or anticipated events that might increase the likelihood of violence?(Required)

Previous Contact Regarding Your Concerns

Have you already called the police about these concerns?(Required)
Have you shared your concerns with this individual?(Required)

Providing Additional Details

Drop files here or
Max. file size: 50 MB.
    Examples of files to include: photos, video, emails, screenshots, or other supporting documents.

    Finalize & Submit

    Please check the box below, indicating that you have read and understand the text(Required)

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    Contact Us

    Champaign Police Department
    82 E. University Ave.
    Champaign, IL 61820

    Emergency: 9-1-1
    Non-emergency: 217-333-8911
    Front Desk: 217-351-4545
    217-403-6904 (fax)

    [email protected]