CENTRAL ILLINOIS POLICE TRAINING CENTER

Brian Fengel, Director

Phone: (309) 690-7355
Fax: (309) 690-7359
Heather Grove: hgrove@icc.edu

Diane Schrementi: ds018b@icc.edu

Robert Pyszka: rp717@icc.edu

Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance

Instructor: John Friedman

February 24, 2026

 1pm – 5pm

 Class will meet at: CIPTC, ICC Peoria Campus, 5407 N. University, Poplar P106, Peoria, IL

Enrollment Deadline:  February 17, 2026

Course Size:  Minimum –15 Maximum – 32

Course Description: This 4-hour course introduces police officers to the factors that contribute to wrongful convictions of innocent persons with the goal of minimizing the likelihood of convicting individuals for crimes they did not commit. Officers will learn about the prevalence and statistics surrounding wrongful convictions, nationwide. Officers will hear firsthand accounts of the impact of wrongful convictions from two exonerees from the Illinois Innocence Project Speaker’s Bureau. Officers will learn about the factors that contribute to wrongful conviction through the exoneree’s stories and lectures led by IIP staff.

Course Objectives: This course, conducted in collaboration with the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP), aims to educate law enforcement professionals on the causes and consequences of wrongful convictions. The program underscores the shared responsibility of both law enforcement and advocacy groups in ensuring that only the guilty are convicted while the innocent remain free. Through case studies, expert insights, and first-hand accounts from exonerees, participants will develop a deeper understanding of wrongful convictions and their impact on the justice system and society.

Mobile In-Service Training Team#7 Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

MTU 7 request for certification of this course has been approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

Meets the following mandatory training criteria: Const. Use of LE Authority 2 hours and Procedural Justice 2 hours