Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights
In the Squad Room - EPD in the Local News
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
That's Commander Collier (the youngish man in the white shirt) at his surprise retirement party
Taking a time-out from the breaking news coverage of national events, you may have come across local news coverage about a sex assault investigation at Haven Middle School. While this incident was reported in a Deployment Meeting over a month ago, details concerning ongoing investigations are not shared with the public here or in the media, Recent news stories have focused on frustrations associated with what appears to be a lack of progress in the case.
What Chief Cook wants the public to know is that this is an active, ongoing investigation. Information is being withheld to protect the individuals involved and preserve the integrity of the case.
Intelligence Officer Tom Giese, along with Crime Analyst Ring, kicked off this week’s meeting. (Giese, a 13-year member of the police force, replaces Detective Tortorello, who will be lending his talents to the FBI as a TFO/Task Force Officer, while remaining employed by the EPD.) Highlights for the week included a pair of residential burglaries, an auto theft, an attempted commercial burglary and the appearance of gang graffiti. Details follow.
Now the rest of the news.
Weekly Crime Map
Click to enlarge
Deployment Meeting – November 13, 2019
Discussed at the meeting:
- Less than a mile from Evanston: On 11/10 around 2 in the morning, a black Murano SUV pulled up in the 2600 block of Ashland and opened fire on Vance Williams, who died of his injuries. CPD officers were able to retrieve 7 .40mm shell casings. The murder is thought to be related to the conflict between LOC City and ICG (Insane Cutthroat Gang) members.
- On 1/8, between 11 and 11:30 PM, two apartments were burglarized in the NU off-campus neighborhoods. A computer was taken from the bedroom of an apartment in the 1100 block of Foster and 30 minutes later, a purse, wallet and other items were removed from an apartment in the 800 block of Simpson. The suspect, described as a thin black male in his 60s, is thought to be responsible for both break-ins. Crime Analyst Ring noted that residential burglaries have decreased in October and November. Safety tip: Many of the summer break-ins involved cut screens and window air conditioners being pushed through to gain entry to homes and apartments. Now is a good time to remove window units. Please remember to lock windows and doors.
- EPD officers will be working with NUPD staff to communicate anti-burglary safety tips (like the ones above). Many of our residential burglaries involve unsecured homes and apartments, leading to crimes of opportunity.
- Here's why it may not be a good idea to warm up your car and leave it running on the street, even in the early hours of the morning: a vehicle owner was probably astonished to find his car gone and a van stolen out of Riverdale, also running, in its place on 11/7 at 6 AM in the 2500 block of Ridgeway. The Audi was later recovered on the south side of Chicago.
- On 11/6, Evanston resident Carl Dennison was charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon when a loaded firearm was discovered in a routine traffic stop on the 1100 block of Dodge. A parole violation, Dennis was taken into custody and is currently being held in Cook County Jail.
- But the keys were accounted for: On 11/6, a 2018 Volkswagen was stolen in the 1900 block of Grant. Crime Analyst Ring reported that there have been 10 vehicle thefts in the last 6 weeks.
- Crooks attempted to break into a commercial enterprise in the 500 block of Howard on 11/6 by drilling into a lock.
- Gang graffiti appeared in three separate locations this week: the 2000 block of Foster, the 200 block of Callan and the 100 block of Ridge.
- ‘Twas the last Deployment Meeting for Commander Melvin Collier (see photo above), who is retiring after 30 years at the EPD. Commander Collier spent his career as a patrolman as one of the PD's stalwart Evidence Technicians. Throughout his career he was available residents and was a practitioner of Community Oriented Policing.
- Assistant Communications Coordinator Kuempel reported two legit Text-a-Tips involving social media posts (1) and clarification of park closing times (1). And once again, a tip from Des Plaines, but he didn’t say what it was about.
- They were there: PST officers were present at CPA (Citizen Police Academy), Career Day at Washington School, Foster Seniors Club, Moran Center, WEABC and Project Bridge meetings. They were also on hand for the Wildcats/Boilermakers game on 11/9.
- The Armored Car hibernated during the week and is expected to continue to do so until the mercury rises.
The Week Ahead
- Here’s where you’ll find the PST in the next several days: the OGA (Officer & Gentleman Academy) Open House, the 5th Ward meeting and graduation exercises for the fall CPA (Citizen Police Academy) class.
- 30,00 fans are expected at the match-up between the Wildcats and the UMass Minutemen on Saturday at 11AM
- The next "Coffee with a Cop" is scheduled for 11/19, this time at Ten Thousand Villages located at 915 Chicago Avenue from 9 - 10:30 AM.
Inquiring Minds
Inquiring Minds: Does the EPD have a new K-9 Unit?
Here is Reader S.D.’s question in its entirety:
“Linda wrote about the new K-9 partnership in the current issue and said that both the previous dog and the new one come from overseas, one from Slovakia and one from the Czech Republic. Why is that? Is there something special about their source or supplier? Are there insufficient suitable dogs on this continent, or are the overseas dogs less expensive? It’s a element that cries out for more explanation.”
Thanks for the great question, S.D. I wondered about the same thing. Shadow Creek Kennels, where Aston and Rony passed through, was established in 2004. The Kennels’ business is limited to training police service and military dogs. I contacted Owner/Trainer John Brannon to get some answers for you.
No Cropped Tail Here
“The reason that we import our dogs from overseas is that the Europeans take working dogs very seriously and have really perfected the craft. They breed these dogs for health and workability rather than looks.”
Supply and Demand
“Our dogs are more expensive (than locally-sourced canines). It would be highly advantageous for us, as a business, to source dogs domestically. The problem there is that we’re not able to find dogs in America suitable for this type of work. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but the odds of it happening are comparable to winning the lottery.”
Aston and his ride
Ideal Candidates
“We buy adult dogs that are 1-2 years of age. That way, we’re starting with good information about them - mentally, physically and work-wise. They must have good bone structure, normal blood panels and x-rays, and a strong heart. A sound physical condition is imperative, but so is their temperament, workability and character traits. They’re teenagers in dog years, partially formed (like humans), so going in, we have a pretty good idea of whether they’ll be a productive member of society (or a police force) or not.”
Slovakia, the Czech Republic or …
“We deal with about six facilities in Holland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. We import over 400 dogs a year and train about 150 of them. The remaining 250, which we call “green dogs”, go to agencies or the armed forces. Large police departments, the New York Police Department, the Phoenix Police Department, the Miami Police Department, and the military have their own programs to complete the training. They put the handler and the dog through training similar to what your Evanston dog went through with Officer Johnson”.
Note from Linda: Also, forgot to mention last week that all costs associated with Aston (his adoption, transatlantic flight, training in Pennsylvania, vet visits and dog food) are paid for with donations from civilians and local businesses like Berglund Animal Hospital and Follow Your Nose.
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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