Friday, October 16, 2020   |   View in browser

Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights

Every week, Linda Hansen 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.

Drug Bust Repeat

Seized in a 10/13 drug bust

A narcotics investigation by Evanston’s NET (Neighborhood Enforcement Team) ended in an arrest on 10/13 of Jonathan Gomes. Gomes, known to police, was arrested as recently as last January for possession of 21 grams of coke and unlawful use of a weapon. He was taken into custody and charged with three felony narcotics charges.

Intelligence Officer Giese reported that the current trend of residential burglaries indicates they’re opportunistic; entry is made through unsecured windows and doors. Secured bicycles continue to be stolen from downtown bike racks and package thefts are on the rise.

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Deployment Meeting– October 14, 2020

• A vehicle was stolen from a parking lot in the 2400 block of Howard Street.
• The third (and final) of the EPD’s newest recruits, Julio Puma, was sworn in on 10/12.
• Package thefts: On 10/12, packages were stolen from a common area of a building in the 600 block of Sherman, and on 10/10, thieves broke the front door glass and entered the common area of a building in the 900 block of Hinman where 4 or 5 packages were reported missing. On 10/10, packages left in the backyard of a residence in the 700 block of Hinman were stolen. Watch for safety tips from the EPD on how to thwart package thieves. 
• On 10/10, Shakiel Coleman was taken into custody in Ohio by the US Marshals for the 7/23 murder of Glenview resident Brian Carrion near the Red Line station, on the 300 block of Howard Street. He was extradited back to Illinois and charged by EPD detectives.
• Lock your garages: Thieves are on the hunt for power tools. They found them in unlocked garages in the 1600 block of Ashland on 10/11 and the 2100 block of Grey on 10/9.
• Six bicycles were stolen; three secured on bike racks in the downtown area and three left unattended in a residential yard.
• Shots fired: Multiple residents living on the south end reported hearing 5-6 shots fired around 11 PM on 10/10. The next afternoon, a citizen reported finding shell casings. Witnesses reported that a white SUV was seen leaving the area after the shots were fired. Police were also called to the 1600 block of Foster on 10/9 around 9:30 PM but were unable to locate any evidence.
• There were three residential burglaries during the deployment period. On 10/10, cash was taken from a residence in the 1400 block of Lincoln. Residents reported that nothing was missing following a break-in that occurred from their home in the 2400 block of Eastwood, also on 10/10. On 10/8, a purse and its contents were taken from a residence in the 1100 block of Michigan.  (Entry was made in all three from unlocked doors and windows.)
• There were two motor vehicle burglaries during the period – one on 10/12 in the 800 block of Davis where cash and sunglasses were taken, the other in the 3200 block of Park Place on 10/11 where clothing was reported missing. Both vehicles were unlocked.  
• The group CopsOutOfNU announced that they will be conducting daily protests of NUPD throughout Evanston. Each day’s location will be announced on Twitter.
• They were virtually there: PST (Problem Solving Team) officers attended Ward meetings. They also led a station tour and session for the Citizen Police Academy. Officers were in person, socially distanced, for NU marches.
• Solving the problems associated with the homeless population sheltering at the Sherman Plaza Garage has called for the combined efforts of the EPD, Connections for the Homeless, Youth Outreach and a private security company.
• There were two arrests for domestic battery with bodily harm last week. 

The Week Ahead

• Early voting for the 2020 presidential election starts Monday, 10/19 at the Evanston Civic Center. Weekday hours are 8:30 AM – 7 PM. There’s more information, including weekend hours, here. You can also find a ballot box for mail-in ballots on the first floor. 
• Look for PST at the Farmers Market and the Womens’ Evanston Rally for Democracy in Dawes Park on 10/17.
• Reminder: Evanston's trick-or-treat hours are Saturday, 10/31 from 4 PM to 7 PM. Find helpful guidelines for celebrating safely here.  
• Lay down your unwanted firearms: the Annual Gun Buyback event is scheduled for 12/5. 

Inquiring Minds- What is a burglary suppression car?

Commander Garner had the answer, and even though the question was about cars, I found out that even the EPD’s law enforcement model Treks and Cannondale bikes are proven-effective burglary suppression vehicles. 

According to Commander Garner, the department has several burglary suppression cars. They’re deployed when sufficient manpower is available or when a recent spate of residential, commercial or vehicle burglaries have occurred. They’re used proactively, too; one example he offered: monitoring off-campus residential neighborhoods during holidays – even finals – when break-ins typically occur. 

Patrol officers are routinely called into action, but depending on the situation, teams can be assembled from various bureaus for specific initiatives. Officers wear street clothes, but even the most law-abiding citizens will probably recognize those unmarked Ford Explorers. Dispatch typically calls other units to a scene where officers are needed, but cops on a burglary suppression detail are also available to back up fellow officers.

This raised another interesting fact. There are also undercover cars that don’t look anything like police cars. They’re different than burglary suppression vehicles. You can’t assume that the unfamiliar vehicle that’s either parked on your block or cruising around your neighborhood isn’t part of the solution.

It’s Your Turn

This is the 322nd issue of In The Squad Room. Readers who’ve come this far know that we almost always end with an Inquiring Minds question. 

Sometimes the questions spring from something said at a Deployment Meeting. Other times, they’re answers to questions I’ve had (the difference between simple and aggravated battery, for instance, or whether cops have ticket quotas). The best ones come from you.

Send us your questions and Commander Garner and I will do our best to get you the answers.  Email them and if you type In The Squad Room in the subject line, they’ll find their way to me.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you want to know. 

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.

Property Recovered in Evanston

Think your property may have been recovered by the Evanston PD? Click here to start your search. Be sure to check out the third party service that displays items found within the last 21 days. Here's the link.

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. Take a look at the Evanston Police Department Dashboard.

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.  

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.