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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.

What's the deal with panhandlers? in Inquiring Minds

Chief Cook reminded us that May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month — a time to recognize the accomplishments, contributions and challenges of AAPI communities to the United States. Experts say that the unprecedented rise in anti-Asian hate crimes over the past year makes the observance of AAPI Heritage Month more vital now than ever. Here’s a link for ways to celebrate in Chicago. 

The week’s highlights included four robberies, four catalytic converter thefts, two shots fired calls, two commercial burglaries, two motor vehicle thefts and a bike theft. Details follow.

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Deployment Meeting – May 12, 2021

• Checking door handles: Apparently not just an overnight thing, Anthony Munsey-Johnson was observed inside a vehicle after the EPD received a call about a suspicious person checking door handles near Emerson and Sherman around 3:30 PM on 5/10. He eluded police but was eventually apprehended and charged with felony burglary to vehicle, trespass to vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.
• Sign of the season: A secured Schwinn mountain bike was stolen from a bike rack near Church and Benson. Also, skateboarders have returned to Fountain Square.
• A 2008 Buick left running in the 1600 block of Sherman on 5/9 proved too tempting for a female, who abandoned it later in the 1800 block of Grey. On 5/5, a 2013 Nissan SUV was reported stolen, possibly through the use of a key fob, from the 600 block of Lake.
• Video captured images of a burglar who broke into a restaurant and made off with $300 in the 1500 block of Sherman on 5/8 between 3 and 4 AM.
• Special alert to Toyota Prius owners: All four catalytic converter thefts were to older Prii (that’s the plural of Prius, according to Toyota) between 5/3 and 5/5 in the 700 block of Washington, the 1400 block of Grove, the 700 block of Milburn and the 2300 block of Sherman.
• They break for wine: The EPD received a report of a residential burglary to a vacant home in the 900 block of Sheridan that occurred sometime between 5/2 and 5/8. It appears that the offender or offenders enjoyed some libations while there.
• Between 5/7 and 5/8, 11 storage units were breached in a residential building in the 1800 block of Sherman. Building management is contacting the owners of those units to determine what was taken.
• While there were no new reports of public indecency last week, the EPD did receive a complaint from a victim for a 5/2 incident. The woman, who was walking in the 400 block of Lee, observed the man engaging in indecent activity. There have been 15 such reports since January. EPD is continuing to deploy to the area.
  • On 5/5, EPD arrested Luis Cruz, charging him with public indecency following a previously reported incident that occurred along the 700 block of Chicago. On 5/2, EPD arrested Stanley Hicks of Chicago, charging him with public indecency for an incident that occurred near Main and Custer.
• In an incident similar to one that took place in March, a victim was in a parking lot in the 2400 block of Howard when an individual in a white Mazda SUV grabbed her purse and drove off. 
• Armed robbery: Four youthful offenders grabbed a teen near Main and Sherman on 5/5 around 5 PM, displayed a handgun and forced him to hand over his iPhone (after unlocking it) and AirPods. 
• Not even sure what this is: The victim of a hit and run incident in the 1200 block of Darrow on 5/6 told police that the person in the vehicle that stuck him said that someone was trying to rob him (the offender) before he ran off.
• Christenson Mothe was arrested on 5/6 for two robberies he committed two hours apart at a convenience store along the 800 block of Davis. Around 1:15 AM, he implied a weapon and made off with a cash drawer. He came back at 3:30 AM for the second cash drawer. Police were able to apprehend him not long after the second incident. 
• Officers from Community Strategies addressed quality-of-life issues, homeless complaints and landlord/tenant issues around town. They also attended Prayer4Peace and 2^nd Ward meetings in addition to their usual Problem Properties meeting. Officers also conducted a Main-Dempster Mile walk and talk and officiated at the Citizen Police Academy Class #53 graduation ceremony (in person!) at Fleetwood-Jourdain. Community Strategies and Patrol officers have focused on the Main/Chicago neighborhood where several robberies and public indecency incidents have clustered recently.

The Week Ahead

• Community Strategies (PST) and Patrol officers will be present at the Evanston Farmers Market, the Powell WE (Work Ethic) graduation and the ETHS Send-Off (substituting for the Senior Prom), all on Saturday.
• Youth Basketball is scheduled to begin at Mason Park this summer, from 6/2 – 7/28, at 4:30-7:30 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays.
• And don't forget this:  

Inquiring Minds: Panhandlers and the Pandemic

Here is a question from Reader M.B.:

“Because of the Covid restrictions on number of customers inside (a store), lines form outside. This makes the customers subject to begging/or shaking a cup at them to put money in. I've heard from one business owner (that) calls to police and his alderman have no relief. Don't customers in line outside have a right not to be harassed? What if any, action can be taken?”

Commander Garner has the answer: “You are absolutely correct that there has been an increase in activity in the downtown areas. The pandemic and homelessness have contributed. We are working with the Homelessness Task Force, which includes related agencies, in an effort to have a well rounded and effective response. Homelessness has been difficult to manage since shelter space and funding have been limited.

Evidence of an underlying criminal offense and having an identified, willing complainant are necessary to take enforcement action. If you are a victim, please call 9-1-1 for any crimes in progress. For non-emergencies, please report to the police at (847) 866-5000. (3-1-1 will provide a record of the complaint but will delay any response by police, significantly. Text-a-Tip is another option, but it will not identify a complainant for the responding officer.)"

And from a previous issue: "Officers have discretion based on the totality of the circumstances, including the complainant’s wishes. Voluntary compliance is the goal. If necessary, and if the burden of proof has been met, a municipal code citation (called a “C-ticket”) can be issued. A custodial arrest might be necessary in the presence of aggravating factors or other crimes. Each act constitutes a public nuisance and a separate violation of the code. These acts are punishable by a fine or community service."

Here's a link to the City of Evanston's municipal code on panhandling and soliciting. 

And here’s a note from Linda just in case you didn’t click on the link above: Panhandling is legal in Evanston but it is not allowed within 20 feet of a bank entrance or an ATM, at a sidewalk café, within 15 seconds of a person leaving an ATM machine, on public transportation or in a public transportation facility. Also prohibited is creating a danger or threat and perpetuating a fraud. 

Aggressive panhandling is an ordinance violation that includes touching a citizen, following a citizen, blocking the path of a citizen, directing abusive language to a citizen or causing a person to feel harassed or intimidated. (A request for spare change outside the door of a grocery store for instance, does not rise to the level of harassment.)

Thanks to M.B. for the question and Commander Garner for the answer.

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 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.