By Blake Haas

NORMAL – While protesters call for police defunding, Illinois State Universities Police Chief says lives are at stake if police personnel budgets are limited.

Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff said there had been conversations between university police and the City of Bloomington about the movement.

“We had I think a very productive discussion last night with the City of Bloomington through the Bloomington Human Relations Commission. We talked about that. As I said last night I’m always willing to listen and to have a dialogue and discuss, but there are communities in this country who are experimenting with this concept now, and I don’t think we should be ones to rush to the front of the line for this.”

Woodruff’s remarks come on the heels of protests in Washington, D.C., and Kenosha, Wisconsin, after Jacob Blake, a 29-year old Black man, was shot by police.

“What we do know is that there is a lot of research that’s been validated, been replicated that has shown that police do make a difference in reducing crime. That the presence of police, having police officers reduces crime and reduces victimization. And you start defunding police as we mentioned last night, you know 90% or more of your budget is your personnel. Which means when you start defunding, you’re going to start reducing police and so you could start seeing an increase in violence and crime.

LISTEN: Illinois State University Police Chief Aaron Woodruff spoke with WJBC’s Marc Strauss about protests on campus. 

“We just don’t want to be that experimental ground for that to happen when truly people’s lives are at stake here.”

Woodruff said an unintended consequence of defunding police would result in private armed forces.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].