Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights
Every week, the Ordinary Citizen attends the Evanston Police Department’s Deployment Meetings, takes notes on the topics discussed and writes about other police-related matters of interest to the people who work and live in Evanston.
A Bridge Too Low
Close encounter of the concrete kind.
On 8/20, a truck challenged the CTA viaduct near the intersection of Davis and Benson and lost. Traffic was down to one lane, but Purple Line service was not disrupted. The last time this happened was when an 18-wheeler got stuck under the very same viaduct in 2013. Back then, employees at nearby retail stores reported feeling the earth shake.
Weekly Crime Map
Crime Analyst Ring noted another relatively light week for crime with five bike thefts, three motor vehicle burglaries, five shots fired calls and three stolen automobiles.
Deployment Meeting – August 21, 2019
Discussed at the meeting:
- Graffiti, thought to be related to the PBG (Pooh Bear Gang) street gang, was found between 8/14 and 8/19 in the 2400 block of Main, the 1300 block of Madison, the 900 block of Davis, the 700 block of Orrington and the 1100 block of Chicago.
- A black 1997 Ford van was stolen from the 1800 block of Brummel between 8/14 and 8/15, suggesting that even old cars are not safe from car thieves who typically use them for transportation and abandon them in Chicago.
- A 2013 Honda was reported stolen during the same time period from the 1200 block of Maple and on 8/19, a 2006 BMW was not returned to an Evanston car dealership.
- The reported car break-ins during the period were to unlocked vehicles in the 100 block of Dewey, the 1700 block of Crain and the 100 block of Callan. A purse with a wallet inside was reported missing in one of the incidents.
- A Metra train struck a 30 year old Northfield man on the tracks near Lake Street on 8/16. Police and the EFD were called to the scene around 5 PM. Metra rail service on the Union Pacific North Line was suspended in both directions for about two hours. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Medical Examiner has ruled the death a suicide.
- According to Assistance Communications Coorindator Curt Kuempel, there were five Text-a-Tips last week. One tipster offered information about a person of interest in a recent crime; others reported three women smoking weed, and possible drug sales. There were two tips from an individual reporting a fire and drug dealing in Des Plaines.
- Police were called to the 200 block of Main and the intersection of McCormick and Bridge for shots fired. Bullet casings were not found at either location.
- Sometime between 8/14 and 8/20, burglars entered a home in the 900 block of Brummel through an unlocked window. Crime Analyst Ring said this is consistent with many of this summer’s residential burglaries, with crooks entering through windows by removing air conditioner units and screens.
- Primary deployment for the PST (Problem Solving Team) during this period were foot patrols in Beats 77 and 78 along with monitoring the downtown area for homeless issues and bikes on sidewalks. They attended several recruiting events, Thursday’s Evanston Live as well as Foster Senior Club and Police Explorers meetings.
The Week Ahead
- IDOT’s Click It or Ticket/Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is in full swing and runs through the early morning hours of 9/4.
- The Armored Car is back at EPD headquarters for charging and will be deployed to the south end of Evanston when it’s ready to hit the streets again.
- Look for PST (Problem Solviing Team) officers at the Saturday Farmers Marke t and the CommUNITY picnic on Sunday. (The picnic takes place in Ingraham Park, right behind the Civic Center, from Noon to 4 PM).
- The second annual Five-O Fitness event will be hosted by the Evanston Police Department, E-Town Fitness Club, and YoFresh. The event will be held on Saturday 8/ 7, 10 AM–Noon at E-Town Fitness Club located at 2401 Main. E-Town coaches will provide the 60-minute workout for the day followed by some healthy eating tips. Admission is $10 at the door, and you must be 18 years or older to participate. Proceeds support Curt’s Café. For more information call 847-868-8995 (E-Town Fitness Club) or 847-448-4311.
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Inquiring Minds
Inquiring Minds:
Here’s a reader question:
I'm an Evanston resident and had a question about loitering. Has Evanston changed its policy on loitering? Downtown Evanston is absolutely filled with panhandlers and people loitering in front of stores, sleeping on sidewalks, etc. Are they no longer removed?
We have city ordinances that address both loitering (as it relates to school zones) and panhandling. In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that panhandling is protected under the 1st Amendment as free speech. However, here in Evanston, Ordinance 9-5-25 attempts to place some limits on it. The gist of the ordinance says that panhandling is not allowed within 20 feet of an ATM, at a bus stop, on public transportation, at a sidewalk café, or in an aggressive manner.
I know that PST (Problem Solving Team) and patrol officers monitor, on a daily basis, the downtown area and various locations in Evanston where homeless individuals congregate and panhandlers frequent, so I ran our reader’s query past Commander Brian Henry.
Here’s what he told me:
Relocating homeless individuals: “Police often work with Evanston's Health and Human Services specialist, and Connections for the Homeless in attempts to secure longer term housing options for Evanston's chronic homeless. Often times we find that the homeless are not looking for services and are content living on streets and in shelters.”
Population changes: “The homeless population is pretty consistent in Evanston. We have encountered many of the same individuals for years. Homeless populations, though, may increase slightly during warmer months.”
Citations and arrests: “In order for there to be an arrest/citation there must be a complainant, willing to sign a complaint, testify at a hearing and go to court. Also, there must be a violation of the panhandling ordinance for the complainant to sign.”
The City’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan, adopted in 2010 by members of the City Council with input from citizens, devoted a chapter to actions that addressed housing and homeless needs. Some estimates suggest that a full 10% of Evanston’s population are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. And here’s something I found surprising; according to an EPD crime prevention bulletin of years past, “most panhandlers in Evanston are struggling with substance abuse and are not homeless.”
Crime Reports
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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