Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights
In the Squad Room - Reaching Out to the Latin Community
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
Officer Bonislawski and canine companion at one of the many National Night Out events
Weekly Crime Map
A guest at this week’s deployment meeting included a community member who is working with the EPD to strengthen the relationship between the Evanston Police Department and the Latinx community. In the wake of various deportation threats from the Federal government, she explained that many individuals who reside or work here are reluctant to contact the police when help is needed. The EPD is responding by recruiting at least two Hispanic officers within the department who will serve as liaisons with this community.
Chief Cook reiterated the fact that the EPD’s responsibility is to serve and protect everyone who works or lives in Evanston. He also wants to reassure our Latinx friends, neighbors and co-workers that Evanston is a sanctuary city and does not participate in or enforce ICE initiatives. A Spanish language social media PSA style (public service announcement) video is also in the works.
Crime Analyst Ring noted a relatively light week for crime, with three residential burglaries, three bike thefts, two motor vehicle burglaries and a stolen car. Details follow.
Now the rest of the news.
Click to enlarge
Deployment Meeting – August 7, 2019
Discussed at the meeting:
- A search of a residence by the Special Operations Group in the 1800 block of Lake on 7/31 resulted in the arrest of convicted felon Andre Laden. He was found in possession 18 rounds of 9mm ammo and transported to EPD headquarters. He is scheduled to appear in court on 8/15.
- Text-a-Tips for the week: There were four this week, including a report of possible drug dealing on a neighborhood street (1), a loud altercation between two individuals (1), speeding motorists (1) and a complaint about trucks parking in bike lanes (1).
- NU student murder: Chicago resident Diante Speed was arrested and charged with first degree murder on 8/6 in the shooting of grad student Shane Colombo in Rogers Park last September. Speed, 20, has a lengthy criminal history and is being held without bail in Cook County Jail.
- Most vehicles stolen in Evanston end up on the south side of Chicago, according to Crime Analyst Ring. This was the case of a Toyota missing from the 1300 block of Central on 8/5. It was located two days later.
- On 8/4, police received a report of a work truck that was broken into in the 500 block of Howard. Four aluminum ladders, power tools and other miscellaneous items were removed.
- There were two outdoor roll calls during the deployment period – one at 8/01 at Howard and Custer, the other on 8/02 at Church and Dodge.
- There is some question about the legality of motorized bikes on the the city’s bike paths, especially those parallel to the lake. Speeds will be monitored by the EPD. So far, it looks like they’re moving at about 12 MPH, considered a moderate pace for leg-powered bikes. Stay tuned.
- In two of the three residential burglaries this week, forced entry was used to break in. A rear window was smashed at a residence in the 800 block of Dobson to steal two laptops and $200 in cash on 8/4. A window screen was cut on 8/5 at a residence in the 800 block of Noyes to take photographic equipment. Burglars entered through the unlocked window of a home in the 1200 block of Mulford on 8/6 where an iMac was reported missing.
- Traffic Sgt. Williams reported that 2,451 tickets have been issues for speeding and other traffic violations on Ridge. He also mentioned that traffic crashes are down significantly from prior levels.
- The city’s National Night Out events at seven locations across the city (see feature photo) were, according to the officers attending them, a success.
- Kids under the age of 17 need to obey Evanston’s curfew ordinance. They are in violation after 10 on weeknights and 11 on weekends. The EPD will be working with various community centers to make sure that scheduled parties and events end in time for participants to make it home safely in advance of curfew.
- They know the difference: Graffiti was found in four locations around Evanston last week. Police believe these were tagging incidents and not gang-related. Graffiti’s most basic output is the tag. The typical ‘tag’ of a graffiti artist is usually a one-liner, executed with one spray can or one color.
- Primary deployment for the PST (Problem Solving Team) during this period were foot patrols in Beat 77, visiting businesses along Howard St. and Evanston’s many houses of worship. They were here, too: Project Bridge event, Project Bond, Jamaican Fest, and Tuesday’s National Night Out events at Penny Park, Twiggs Park, Kamen Park, the Evanston Public Library, Y.O.U., and the Evanston Animal Shelter.
The Week Ahead
- The Armored Car will remain deployed to the 200 block of Custer.
- Look for PST (Problem Solviing Team) officers at the Remembrance Picnic in James Park, the Saturday Farmers Market and the Back to School cookout.
- Be there: The City of Evanston, the EPD and the CPAA (Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association) invite you to attend "Coffee with a Cop" on Tuesday, 8/13. The location will be Beth's Little Bake Shop at 1814 Central Street from 10 AM to noon.
- Are you interested in a career in law enforcement? Do you want to serve a great community? If the answer is "yes", please come to the Evanston Police Job Fair at the Levy Center from 10 AM – 2 PM on 8/10.
Inquiring Minds
Inquiring Minds: Does the Evanston Police Department use the services of a polygraph examiner?
Executive Officer - Commander Glew, who has been with the force for 22 years, has the answer: No. Or, not in the way you’d think.
These days, according to him, the popularity of polygraphs as a reliable investigative tool has waned considerably. While the EPD may have deployed polygraphs for criminal investigations in decades past, the only current application for them is in screening recruits for the police department. In that case, a private firm is engaged to administer the test. Even so, the EPD doesn’t rely solely on the results to advance or reject an applicant unless something that disqualifies them from being a police officer is uncovered.
An over protective father (not the police) gives a polygraph in the movie Meet the Parents
A little bit of research explains why:
According to Leonard Saxe, a psychologist at Brandeis University who's conducted research into polygraphs: “There's no unique physiological sign of deception. And there's no evidence whatsoever that the things the polygraph measures — heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, and breathing — are linked to whether you're telling the truth or not. Almost a century of research in scientific psychology and physiology provides little basis for the expectation that a polygraph test could have extremely high accuracy."
This isn't exactly breaking news: Saxe's 1983 report for Congress ended up leading to a 1998 Supreme Court decision ruled against the use of polygraphic evidence in some federal courts because "there is simply no consensus that polygraph evidence is reliable."
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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