URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Numerous police officers throughout Central Illinois are familiar with the complexities of rescheduling to address staffing deficiencies. In Urbana, the deputy chief remarked that their team is facing “accelerating staffing challenges” due to an unprecedented rate of veteran officers departing the department.

Despite these changes, patrol officers continue navigating the regular ups and downs of staffing changes, and WCIA had the opportunity to observe a usual evening routine with Sgt. Josh Jeffers, who brings nine years of experience to the force.

“Every second is different; we never know what we’re going to do,” said the sergeant. “I could be talking to you now…and who knows what we’ll be doing in the next five minutes.”

This unpredictability is precisely what fuels Jeffers’ passion for his career in law enforcement, even if his workday begins when most people’s ends. He starts his night shift at 7 p.m. and moves across Urbana’s five patrol areas to assist any officer in need.

His duties range from addressing community issues, like speeding vehicles in neighborhoods, to providing backup at traffic stops or handling unexpected large gatherings.

But Jeffers always enjoys taking time between more urgent calls to connect with young kids who call Urbana home.

“It makes our job much easier,” he explained. “They know our face. They know us, we can talk to them.”

He recognizes the fact that it’s not always easy to make time for quick basketball games or conversations with kids in various neighborhoods.

According to Zachery Mikalik, Urbana’s deputy chief, the departure rate of their veteran officers to other Central Illinois agencies is something the city has not encountered before.

“Replacing those officers takes time. In fact, it takes about one year from the day a new officer is hired to when they are fully trained, working independently, and answering calls for service,” he said.

Data shows 21 officers are currently fully trained and patrolling the streets. But the department needs 36 to be considered fully staffed.

Jeffers is optimistic that this will soon change, especially as four new members prepare to join the agency’s new Community Engagement Team, which the city council approved back in June as part of the city’s 2026 budget.

“We have squad cars, we got everything set up, we just need officers on the street so we can pull from the streets and then put them into those positions,” Jeffers added.

His 12-hour days in the middle of the night can go by pretty fast when he’s constantly on his toes. As soon as he clocks out as “cop,” he clocks in as “dad.” Jeffers has two children at home, who are trying to understand his demanding career at a young age.

“I know when explaining it to my kids sometimes…oh, ‘what’s a bad guy this or a bad guy that…’ it’s not a bad guy and it’s hard for me to explain that to a five-year-old,” he said. “They just had a bad time. They were in a stressful situation, and sometimes that’s intoxication, sometimes mental health.”

No matter the short staffing challenges or dangerous calls he sometimes faces, his passion for policing the city he cares about remains the same.

Jeffers is also part of Urbana’s SWAT team and was recognized with a life-saving award in 2024. A girl was stabbed, and his quick actions of wrapping a tourniquet around her stopped enough blood to keep her alive.