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Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights

In the Squad Room - Sexual Predator Charged

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

A crowd gathers for Coffee with a Cop on August 13 at Beth's Little Bake Shop - one of the best attended CWACs

Weekly Crime Map

On 8/11, Evanston resident Jason Taylor was charged in the 7/30 sexual assault of a female who thought she was getting into a rideshare vehicle in the 400 block of Asbury. Police believe that Taylor has attempted to connect with NU and Loyola students through the Tinder dating app and that he may be connected to acts of sexual violence in other states. Taylor contacted the victim on a dating app and then managed to intercept her posing as an Uber Driver.  He appeared in court on 8/12 and posted a $100,000 D bond.

Crime Analyst Ring noted another relatively light week for crime, with two residential burglaries, eight bike thefts, three motor vehicle burglaries, two robberies and two stolen cars.

Now the rest of the news. 

Click to enlarge

Deployment Meeting – August 14, 2019 

Discussed at the meeting: 

• There were two separate robberies on 8/13. The first occurred near Hinman and South Boulevard, where an offender displayed a gun before the victim fled and dropped her purse.  The robber, described as a black male, made off with a cell phone.  Later that day, another robbery occurred in the 700 block of Clark when a robber struck a victim in the face and took cell phone.  Whether the robberies are connected isn’t known, but an investigation is underway.
• Coffee with a Cop on 8/13 at Beth’s Little Bake Shop in the 1800 block of Central was, according to officers there, one of the best attended (See photo).
• All three motor vehicle burglaries between 8/9 and 8/11 were to unlocked cars in the 400 block of Barton, the 700 block of Brummel and the 1500 block of Madison. Unsecured cash (likely coins) was taken in two of the break-ins. Credit and debit cards were reported missing in the third.
• A key was used to steal a 2004 Toyota from the 700 block of Case between 8/10 and 8/11. Between 8/8 and 8/9, a 2006 Lexus was taken by unknown means in the 800 block of Clinton Place.
• Mid August-Labor Day is your last chance for a summer getaway but your fun can be an opportunity for a burglar. Check out this Evanston PD Public Awareness Video for tips on how to reduce the chances or being burglarized. 
• Police suspect that a homeless person was responsible for entering a business office through an unlocked door in the 1600 block of Sherman between 8/8 and 8/9. Food and keys were reported missing.On that note, officers have reported an uptick in the number of homeless individuals and panhandling complaints in the downtown area.
• There were just two Text-a-Tips this week, both parking complaints.
• Kudos to the Traffic Bureau: According to Deputy Chief Pickett, the EPD has once again taken honors – this time, second place - in the Illinois Safety Challenge.
• Gunshot victims at Evanston Hospital’s ER: Police were alerted to 1) an individual who claimed he accidentally shot himself and 2) another individual who alleged he was shot in the finger near the CTA Red Line. Injuries were not life-threatening.  Police are investigating.
• ETHS is back in session on Wednesday, 8/21. Grade and Middle Schools are back in session on Monday, 8/26. EPD officers have met with all District 65 principals.
• Primary deployment for the PST (Problem Solving Team) during this period were foot patrols in Beat 77, visiting businesses along Howard St. and 13 Evanston houses of worship. They were here, too: Coffee with a Cop, Curt’s Café, Explorer, Foster Center Club, 5-0 Fitness, FAAM and the West End Block Club meetings. They also attended the E-Fam Remembrance Picnic, the Farmers Market and Betty Washington’s Block Party.
• EPD continues to work closely with Chicago’s 24^th District (Rogers Park). Plans include linking Chicago and Evanston security cameras on both sides of Howard Street.  

The Week Ahead          

• The Evanston Police Department is partnering with the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement across Illinois for the increased statewide effort. The high-visibility crackdown runs from 8/16 through the holiday weekend into the early morning hours of 9/4.
• The Armored Car will remain deployed to the 200 block of Custer.
• Look for PST (Problem Solviing Team) officers at the the Saturday Farmers Market and various locations around Evanston, before and after school, when students head back to District 65 and 202 schools on 8/21.
• The CommUNITY Picnic is scheduled for 8/25 from noon to 4 PM at Ingraham Park, right behind the Civic Center. What a great time to enjoy free food, hang with fellow Evanstonians and meet some of the EPD’s finest.

Inquiring Minds

Inquiring Minds: 

Here’s a question from one of our readers (himself a cyclist):

I'm noticing cyclists (mostly young) in the bike lanes and elsewhere around Evanston who are riding while texting or otherwise occupied on their phones. I realize the city has cracked down on device use among drivers, but what about cyclists? Seems like they should be held to the same rules.

I have noticed this too; in fact, I have seen cyclists riding ‘no hands’ while texting on residential streets.

To find out what the State of Illinois has to say on the subject, I referred to Bicycle Rules of the Road (downloadable here) that was reprinted as recently as April 2019 and had nothing to say on the subject, other than to state that cyclists need to follow the (motorist) rules of the road. 

Here’s what we know about Illinois’ Distracted Driving law:

Illinois law prohibits the use of hand-held cell phones, texting or using other electronic communications while operating a motor vehicle. Hands-free devices or Blue Tooth technology is allowed for persons age 19 and older.

The only time Illinois drivers can use a cell phone that is not hands free is:

• To report an emergency situation
• While parked on the shoulder of a roadway
• While stopped due to normal traffic being obstructed and the vehicle is in neutral or park
• Drivers who are in a crash resulting from distracted driving may face criminal penalties and incarceration

A sign of good advice

This suggests that the same rules apply to cyclists. Our big, behemoth neighbor the south (Chicago) has left no wiggle room for interpretation with, according to a bike gear website, “fines that start at $20 for a first offense and increase to $100 for subsequent violations.  If your texting causes an accident, the fine can go as high as $500”. Other municipalities have passed similar laws and ordinances.

Our reader raises a good point. Since 2012, our town has been designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community. That designation includes a commitment to making cycling safe for everyone who cycles, works or lives here.  With an 2015 ordinance that prohibits riding bikes on sidewalks in the downtown area (along with “cycling in a reckless manner that impacts the flow of traffic”), its probably time as a community to look to the future of safe cycling in Evanston. Judging by the amount of cycling related questions we have received recently (see future IMs) safe cycling appears to already be a community priority. 

Thanks for the great question.

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.

Crime Reports

What would you like to know about what the Evanston Police Department is doing to fight crime? Let us know if you have specific questions or concerns about issues in your neighborhood. Submissions are always welcome at police@cityofevanston.org or by calling the community strategies bureau at 847-866-5019.   Subscribe to Evanston’s Daily Crime Report by email or view the Monthly Crime Statistics that are reported on a yearly basis to the FBI.

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.

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.