URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) -- A promotion at the Urbana Police Department is making waves and generating pushback from some community members.

Michael Cervantes is the new Interim Deputy Chief of Police after his promotion from the rank of Lieutenant. The appointment was passed by the Urbana City Council 4-2, but not after a fiery public comment with people in Urbana voicing their disagreement.

They talked mainly about Cervantes' role in the arrest of Aleyah Lewis, which they said he and the department handled poorly.

"The police never took responsibility for that beating, never apologized for it," one person said. "They felt like they needed to lie to cover it up."

Lewis pleaded guilty to resisting a peace officer in 2021. An independent consulting service hired by the city "determined that

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