CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign Police Department announced on Tuesday that, through the first six months of 2022, the city saw just half the number of shootings it did in the first six months of 2021.

Champaign Police officials said that between Jan. 1 to July 11 of this year, Champaign Police responded to 71 shooting incidents, which are considered to be any time officers find evidence of a gun being fired. During the same date range in 2021, Champaign Police responded to 145 shooting incidents, a reduction of 51% between years.

The City of Champaign attributed this reduction to three factors:

• A stronger community collaboration to combat gun violence
• The professionalism of Champaign Police staff, including sworn officers and civilian personnel
• The use of intelligence-led policing, which helps the department better address community needs through analysis of crime data, identification of trends and the deployment of police resources to maximum effect

“I am very proud of the hard work and commitment the men and women of the Champaign Police Department continue to exhibit every day. They are working tirelessly to make our community safer, and we are seeing the positive results of their efforts,” said Chief of Police Timothy T. Tyler. “I also want to thank our residents who are sharing information about the criminal activity they witness so we can hold people accountable for their actions. While we are certainly trending in the right direction, I know we still have a lot of work to do. I ask for the continued support of our residents and community partners as we work together to combat crime across the city. Together, we are making a difference.”

Champaign Police officials added that, between Jan. 1 and July 11, 2022, officers responded to more than 21,500 service calls. They also investigated and made arrests in three homicide cases that happened this year, five homicides and a shooting that happened in past years and seized more than 100 guns from people who were possessing them unlawfully.