Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights
In the Squad Room - Dragnet
Every week, Linda Hansen attends the Evanston Police Department’s deployment meetings, takes notes on various topics, and writes about other police-related matters of interest to ordinary citizens like her.
This Week's Highlights
Over 70 speeding tickets issued in a single 8-hour period
Police from nearly 200 departments in Illinois, including Evanston, participated in a ticket-writing blitz for speeders on Wednesday (7/24) for the annual Illinois Speed Awareness Day. Sgt. Williams of the Traffic Bureau reported that officers wrote a total of 101 tickets, 70 for speeding, in the 6 a.m.-2 p.m. period. IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) studies indicate that over 40% of all traffic deaths are caused by speeding motorists.
Detective Tortorello noted a quiet week and a crime map absent of violent crime symbols. There were four residential burglaries, a garage burglary, one Park District burglary, several bicycle thefts and a single package theft. Details follow.
Now the rest of the news.
Weekly Crime Map
Click to enlarge
Deployment Meeting – July 24, 2019
Discussed at the meeting:
- Text-a-Tips for the week: possible neighborhood drug dealing, the report of a domestic disturbance and a tipster’s alert concerning disturbing posts from a hookup site.
- Same as last week: Eight bikes were stolen during the deployment period. Since all but one were secured to bike racks, Det. Totorello explained that experienced thieves are capable of defeating a U-Lock with something as simple as a ballpoint pen.
- On 7/22, Skokie resident Michael Sperekas was charged with CPD (Criminal Damage to Property) for damaging a vehicle in the 2600 block of Highland.
- Sometime between 7/17 and 7/22, burglars broke into the Bent Park field-house through an open bathroom in the building. It doesn’t appear that anything was taken.
- The four residential burglaries last week occurred in the 700 and 900 blocks of Mulford (7/18 and 7/19), the 2000 block of Pratt Court (7/19) and the 400 block of Custer (7/22). Forced entry was used to break in at the 900 Mulford residence where a tablet, jewelry, cosmetics and office equipment were reported missing. Crooks entered the home in the 700 block through an open window, but nothing was reported missing. A laptop was taken from the Pratt Court residence where burglars also entered through an open window. The resident and detectives are not sure how burglars were able to break into the Custer residence. A laptop and stereo equipment were taken.
- An offender or offenders tried and failed to enter a garage in the 2700 block of Eastwood on 7/20.
- A Shots Fired call received by police around 3 AM on 7/20 resulted in the discovery of a bullet hole in the window of a residence in the 700 block of Dodge. Bullet casings were not found, leading detectives to believe that the bullet was pulverized upon impact.
- A package containing a tablet computer was stolen from the common area of an apartment building in the 800 block of Hinman on 7/18.
- Participants in a meeting with Evanston’s Latino community expressed concerns about engaging with the EPD on routine matters, fearing harassment or deportation. According to Chief Cook, Evanston, as a Sanctuary City, the EPD does not participate in any ICE matters.
- Patrol officers intervened last week when a dog was hit by a car near Foster and Dodge. Officers transported the injured animal to a local emergency veterinary clinic where it succumbed to its injuries. This is Standard Operating Procedure when Animal Warden Pound is not on duty. Yes, the EPD serves and protects pets, too.
- Are motorized bicycles bike path legal? The answer is yes...for now, but stay tuned for where motorized scooters and skateboards should go.
- Not a small thing: Convicted package thief Angel Marquez received a sentence of 5 ½ years in an IDOC (Illinois Department of Corrections) facility. He had been found guilty of seven package thefts.
- PST (Problem Solving Team) activities included foot patrols in Beat 77, stores on Howard with high retail theft numbers and Houses of Worship. They attended Evanston Public Library and 9th Ward meetings and held safety and security sessions at Beth Emet, Bethel Church, the Civic Center and Space. Officers participated in a Mason Park book reading, the YCPA (Youth Citizen Police Academy) and monitored Thursday Night Live, The Vegetable Market at Church & Dodge, the Starlight Concert, Art in the Park and the Farmers Market.
The Week Ahead
- Traffic Bureau updates: On 7/27, expect a little extra traffic near Ryan Field for an Antique Car Show that will run from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.. Also, the 8th Annual NU Run for Walk means that Central near Ryan Field Street will be closed from 7-8:45 AM on Sunday, 7/28.
- What’s next for the PST: More foot patrols and ‘walk and talks’ around town, plus reading to kids at Mason Park and at KinderCare. They’ll also be on hand for the Police Job Fair, Project Bond, a 3rd Ward Meeting, Pride Fest, the Antique Car show and the Farmers Market. Bikes on sidewalks continue to be a safety issue for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians.
Inquiring Minds
Inquiring Minds: Traffic Stop - Part II
Last week, we answered this reader question: At a traffic stop, the squad car is half a car’s width into traffic, rather than directly behind the stopped vehicle. Why?
This week, we expand on it, by offering practices most commonly used by police officers in other traffic situations. Again, Officer Samson from the Traffic Bureau provided the explanation:
“Sometimes an officer will employ a different squad position when conducting a traffic stop due to weather, traffic conditions, stop location or threat assessment. For example, if the stop involves a large truck on a busy, narrow roadway like Ridge, an officer may use an "off-center right" position or park directly in-line with a stopped vehicle and use a passenger-side approach to avoid walking and standing in a live traffic lane and obstructing passing vehicles.
Ariel photo of a high-risk felony stop
Motorcycle cops (known as ‘motors’ in police parlance) are trained to make passenger-side approaches since the profile of their police motorcycles will not work for an "off-center left" position. For high-risk felony stops, officers are trained to position their squads with the suspect vehicle like the letter " V " to avoid friendly fire if it becomes necessary to defend themselves from suspects shooting at them.
When approaching any stopped emergency vehicle, motorists are reminded to slow down and move over if practical. It not only helps first responders at an emergency scene, it's the law (known as Scott’s Law) in Illinois.
We need more questions...from you...the COMMUNITY! Email them to Commander Glew and we’ll do our best to provide the answers. If you put In The Squad Room in the subject line, they’ll find their way to me.
Gun Buyback Program
The Ongoing Gun Buyback Program allows Evanston residents to turn in an operational firearm to police at any time in exchange for $100. Residents can utilize this service by calling 311 or the Evanston Police Department non-emergency line at 847-866-5000. A police officer will pick up the unwanted firearm at the resident's address and present the resident with a voucher that can be exchanged for $100 at the City Collector’s Office located in the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.
Firearms should not be brought to the police department, unless prior approval has been granted from a supervisor at the police department. An officer will call the resident after a request is made for the officer to come to a person's residence and retrieve the firearm.
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Crime Reports
Citizen Police Academy
If you would like to learn more about the Evanston Police Department, take an active role in community-oriented policing, and join the ranks of over 900 graduates since 1995, please visit the Citizen Police Academy webpage.
There is no cost to anyone who lives or works in Evanston. Getting to know your police force is essential in reducing crime, building trust in the community and serving the needs of the community.
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The weekly deployment report is an informational bulletin prepared by a community member that keeps citizens informed about what police do on a weekly basis. Information contained in this report is not to be considered as a media/press release. Any information considered by a media source from this bulletin needs to be verified by an official from the department. This can be done by contacting the media line at 847-866-5026.
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