State Police remember Trooper with booming laugh

Posted on July 1, 2017

 

Ryan Albin
Illinois State trooper Ryan Albin joined ISP in 2006. (Photo courtesy Illinois State Police)

 

By Howard Packowitz

FARMER CITY – Illinois State Police are paying tribute to one of their own as they release some more details about Wednesday’s accident near Farmer City that killed Trooper Ryan Albin.

Police are still investigating the crash near a construction zone on I-74, but they think Albin’s squad car hit the back of a truck driven by a man from Normal. Police have not issued any tickets.

Meantime, Albin’s commander at District 6 State Police Headquarters in Pontiac remembered Albin as a “big man who spoke softly, yet had a booming laugh.

In a news release, State Police said Albin, handler of the patrol dog, Biko, was nominated in 2015 as the District 6 officer of the year. Biko suffered minor injuries in the accident.

“Trooper Albin was well known for his significant drug, weapon, and illegal cigarette seizures,” the news release said.
He also won praise by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for more than 100 DUI arrests in 2009 and 2010.

Albin grew up in the small McLean County town of Bellflower, and attended Blue Ridge High School in Farmer City, and Eureka College.

He leaves behind a daughter, age 6, and a son, age 2.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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