Friday Mar. 27, 2020 | View in browser
Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights
NOT In the Squad Room
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
 He'll look so handsome in uniform.
In a measure of extreme caution, Deployment Meetings (at least as I knew them) have been suspended for the time being. Smaller bureau and internal strategic and tactical meetings still take place at EPD HQ, but they, sadly, go on without me. With Commander Garner’s and Chief Cook’s permission, however, ITSR will continue to post on police-related topics, but we’ll tackle one topic per week in a more in-depth manner. This week, our topic is Evanston’s brand new police dog and how a local organization answered the call to protect him with body armor.
We will continue to publish This Week’s Crime map, but without commentary. Next week, we’ll discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic affects law enforcement here. If there are topics of interest to you, please send them our way.
This Week's Crime Map - Wed. March 25, 2020
Click to Enlarge
A Bulletproof Vest for Aston
For the first time in the history of the Evanston Police Department’s K-9 unit, the current Officer Fido, actually our new recruit K-9 Aston, will have the protection of a bulletproof vest.
Aston, like his predecessor Rony, came to the EPD from Eastern Europe via Shallow Creek Kennels in western Pennsylvania where he, and his partner Officer Random Johnson, underwent weeks of training. Aston officially joined the EPD force last August, after Rony retired from his years of active service. (Rony is enjoying a leisurely life with his former partner Detective Sosa.)
In addition to delighting the citizenry when we see them, police dogs like Aston have specific responsibilities – apprehending suspects, detecting drugs, explosives and weapons, or assisting in search and rescue. They are almost always bred for this career. German Shepherds (like Aston), Belgian Malinois, Bloodhounds, Labrador Retrievers and Dutch Shepherds – all working breeds – are typical breeds tapped for a life in law enforcement. Many police dogs are trained to do one specific task; Evanston’s K-9s typically have multiple duties.
Danger in the Line of Duty
Aston has been trained to obey commands and cues only from Officer Johnson. I remember Detective Sosa telling me, “A criminal can use my weapon against me, but the same can’t be said of my K-9”. That puts a police dog in considerable danger when faced with a gun- or knife-wielding criminal.
“The average K9 bullet proof vest costs just under $1,000 dollars and until recently the need for a bullet proof vest in K9 units wasn’t always brought to light because K9s weren’t being lost in the line of duty. But over the last ten years, that’s changed,” according to Michael Lucchesi, president of the Capital K-9 Association. “Deaths for K9s has increased significantly, so the need for vests has become more prominent.”
It’s hard to find reliable statistics, but in 2018, according to the PoliceOne.com website, at least 19 police dogs were killed in the line of duty, some from high speed chases (we don’t have those here) and others from gunfire. And that’s why, back in November, the EPD started to investigate the purchase of a bulletproof vest for Aston.
 Tactical vest for Aston
Designed by the same company that provides tactical vests for police officers, the EPD settled on the Agile Canine Vest (ACV) pictured here. While the vest offers, according to the manufacturer, superior “ballistic and stab protection”, it is not without challenges that include a potential loss of agility. For starters, it weighs about seven pounds, roughly 10% of Aston’s body weight.
Training, part of Aston’s bi-weekly skills regimen, is essential to make sure that Aston can perform his duties effectively and comfortably. According to K-9 Officer Johnson, “There will be a period of adjustment. We'll have to do all of our day-to -day activities in the vest until he gets used to it, so that it's not a distraction for him when it really matters.” It’s when it really matters that Aston will be wearing his suit of body armor. Officer Johnson told me that overheating can be a problem, especially for larger, active breeds. “Temperature regulation is really important for him, especially in the warmer months.”
Donor to the Rescue
Canine body armor, depending on the manufacturer and model, can run into thousands of dollars, especially if training is handled by a third party. It’s no secret that, for the past two years, the City of Evanston has experienced some serious belt-tightening. Police pooch tactical gear was not in the budget. The next challenge was one of soliciting funds, and once again, the Evanston Police & Fire Foundation (EPFF) answered the call.
Since the founding of the Evanston Police and Fire Foundation in 2012, its purpose has been to provide the city’s Police and Fire and Life Safety departments with supplemental resources needed to enhance the quality of life of all Evanston residents and all who work, play and visit our great community.
Their involvement with the EPD’s K-9 program goes back ten years or so, when the EPFF was instrumental in relaunching it and bringing Rony, all expenses paid, to Evanston. To understand their mission a little better, I reached out to Marilyn Faklis Ruiz, the EPFF’s tireless and energetic Interim Chair. Here’s how she explained it: “In the past, we have provided funds for the restart of the K-9 program and K-9 training gear, as well as funds for CPR Training, CPR mannequins and coats for the Honor Guard. The funds raised by EPFF are provided to the departments via a granting system. If city funds are unavailable, we then consider the request in terms of impact on the safety and welfare of the whole community. I might add that Officer R. Johnson made a persuasive presentation to the board, accompanied by his partner, K-9 Officer Aston.”
Officer Johnson expects Aston’s ACV vest to arrive in mid-April, if the global effects of COVID-19 don’t delay its arrival. Weeks of training and summer weather probably mean we won’t be seeing Aston in full tactical gear very soon. We’ll make sure to post a photo so you can see how great he looks in uniform on Twitter, Facebook or right here.
Want to learn more about the EPFF? Find out right here.
Got an Inquiring Minds question for In The Squad Room? Email it to Commander Garner and we’ll do our best to provide the answer in a future issue. If you put In The Squad Room in the subject line, your question will find its way to me.
To stay up to date on local, regional, national and global updates on the Coronavirus Pandemic, please visit:
City of Evanston
https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/health-human-services/coronavirus-disease
Illinois Department of Public Health
https://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
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.
 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.
 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.
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