U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen remembers Feb. 14, 2008 well … the Northern Illinois University alumnus was on the air as a meteorologist for a Rockford television station when he learned that an individual had opened fire at his alma mater. Today, as a congressperson serving the 17th district, which includes Macomb, Sorensen is putting forward a bill to further enhance safety at Western Illinois University.
Sorensen was on the Macomb campus Monday afternoon to announce a $770,000 funding request as part of the annual Community Project Funding (CPF) program in Congress for enhancing technology and equipment for WIU's Office of Public Safety. According to OPS Director Derek Watts, the funding will strengthen WIU's public safety infrastructure by upgrading critical security technology and equipment, as well as provide training to OPS officers.
'The project will enhance emergency response capacity not only for OPS, but also for Macomb and McDonough County, and the Illinois State Police,' he added.
Should the funding be awarded, it will be used to replace and upgrade the department's communications, further enhance the campus' camera and key card security systems and also provide new safety- related equipment for officers. Some of the funding will also be used for more training for the institution's officers and its threat assessment team, Watts noted.
The bill has passed in the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, and will go on the floor for debate and consideration later this year, Sorensen explained. The request for WIU is one of 12 that the congressperson has put forward for his district. If the house passes the funding measure, the appropriations could come to Western before the start of the Fall 2027 semester.
'What our law enforcement does for us at a moment's notice to make sure that we are safe, and as a member of Congress with Western Illinois University being in my district, I want to do everything that I can to support our law enforcement, as well as support the parents and the students so they know this is a safe place to learn and to call home,' Sorensen stated. 'When WIU came to me with a request to strengthen its public safety infrastructure, I knew that this was worth fighting for from the very beginning. This investment will help WIU modernize the tools that campus police and public safety personnel rely on every day.
It's not just about equipment, though. It's about making sure that when an emergency happens, the people responsible for keeping our campus safe have the technology and the resources and the support they need to quickly respond and respond effectively.
'We all know that emergencies don't wait to the perfect moment. Whether it's a medical emergency on campus, a severe weather event, which we are all too familiar with, a public safety threat, every second matters,' he added. 'As someone who spent 22 years of his life as a meteorologist, I've seen firsthand what happens when communities are prepared, but then also what happens when there is no preparedness. That's why investments like this matter. This is exactly what community project funding in the Congress is all about. It's making sure that federal resources get home to help address issues and make communities stronger. I look forward to seeing the difference that it makes right here at Western.'
WIU President Kristi Mindrup and Macomb Mayor Mike Inman also spoke, expressing their appreciation for Sorensen’s efforts and emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration to strengthen public safety across the WIU and Macomb communities. Both Mindrup and Inman noted that campus and community safety is a common concern among parents of prospective Western students, making investments in public safety an important part of supporting the university and the broader community.
'When choosing a college destination and moving away from home for the first time, one thought on every parent's mind is safety,' Mindrup concluded. 'WIU is proud of our safe campus and community. One of the major factors in creating a safe campus is our dedicated Office of Public Safety, which is staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. With 24 sworn officers, our campus is a safe place to learn, grow and thrive. I am proud of the great work of OPS, and I know this additional funding will enhance their capabilities and move the Office of Public Safety forward.'
