Friday, May 21, 2021 | 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.
On 5/18 at 6:30 AM, EPD officers responded to an attempted criminal sexual assault near Clark and Orrington. Officers spoke to the victim, an NU student, and several witnesses who reported an incident in which a male subject grabbed the victim from behind, threw her to the ground, and attempted to remove her pants. The offender fled the scene on foot when passersby stepped in to stop the attack.
The offender, described as a Black male wearing a red, white, and black ‘Gucci’ jacket, was captured on security video. The EPD dispatched an alert, including a screen grab from the video, to neighboring law enforcement agencies. At 12:25 PM, the Glencoe Police Department contacted EPD to report the capture, following a well-being check, of a person matching the description of the suspect. EPD detectives took Devonte Huggins into custody and charged him with two felony offenses.
In what the Crime Analyst described as a ‘quiet week’, there were three motor vehicle thefts (and three recovered vehicles), two bike thefts, two shots fired calls, an armed robbery and a residential burglary. Everyone must be doing a better job of locking car doors; we had zero motor vehicle burglaries last week. Details follow.
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Deployment Meeting – May 19, 2021
- On 5/18 around 1:45 PM, an annoyed motorist turning onto Madison from Custer at the same time a fire engine was being maneuvered into Station #2 failed to follow the instruction of the firefighters and intentionally struck one of the firefighters with his vehicle. The firefighter was taken to Evanston Hospital with minor injuries and Ronald Sims was charged with aggravated battery.
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Shots fired calls on 5/15 near Dewey and Mulford, and the 1600 block of Ashland on 5/18 were checked for evidence. Nothing was located.
- A man reported being robbed at gunpoint of $22 by an acquaintance and an associate on the corner of Church and Dodge around 5 PM on 5/18. Cops are investigating.
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Motor vehicle thefts: On 5/18, the owner of a Ford Focus left the motor running and the keys in the ignition during a quick convenience store run in the 800 block of Dodge. When he returned, the car was gone.
- A Nissan Altima stolen out of Chicago was located in the 1800 block of Grey when a resident reported it parked in her driveway on 5/15. Two other stolen vehicles were recovered during the deployment period.
- Around 3:30 PM on 5/15, an individual reported that he had just parked a Mitsubishi Mirage in the 800 block of Church when a subject entered the vehicle (keys inside) and drove away.
- A 2015 Dodge Caravan was stolen from a gas station in the 2400 block of Dempster while the owner was pumping gas on 5/11 around 11:30 AM.
- Hussein Alzerijawi eluded police on 5/16 when detectives attempted to stop him for driving with a suspended license. Rather than engaging in a high speed car chase, detectives located him at his last known address in Skokie where he was placed under arrest for driving with a suspended license and eluding police.
- Two bikes were stolen during the period; one unattended in a city park in the 800 block of Greenleaf and the other from the common area of a building in the 1500 block of Sherman.
- South of the border: It may have been a mostly uneventful week in Evanston, but Rogers Park (Chicago’s 24th District) has seen an uptick in crime, resulting in numerous shots fired calls and four shootings (including one homicide).
- All shift commands reported safety checks on area mosques, synagogues, and Jewish community centers in light of conflicts between Hamas and Israel. Skokie has seen a recent incident of a hate crime.
- Ashanti Clark was arrested for residential burglary to a home in the 1400 block of Cleveland on 5/14.
- Drive safe: Sergeant Williams mentioned that IDOT’s Memorial Day campaign has already begun and will last through 5/31.
- Officers from Community Strategies addressed homeless complaints, quality-of-life and landlord/tenant issues around town. Officers continue ‘walk and talks’ in the Main/Chicago neighborhood where robbery, indecent exposure, and nuisance incidents have clustered.
The Week Ahead
- Community Strategies (PST) officers will be present at ETHS graduation ceremonies on 5/21 and the Evanston Farmers Market on 5/22.
- Dillo Day returns to NU on Saturday with virtual programming. Much like last year’s Digital Dillo, all performances will be online.
Here is a question from Reader J.B.:
“I have noticed many arrests for ‘invalid license’ in the daily report. It was my understanding that because of Covid-19, and the reduced availability at the Sec’y of State’s facilities, that tickets were not bring issued for expired Driver’s Licenses. Has that policy ended? What is the current policy regarding Driver’s License renewal?”
Commander Garner says: “Regarding enforcement, while expiration dates have been extended until August 1, 2021, it doesn't automatically validate all invalid licenses. There are multiple circumstances a license may be invalid, for instance, a suspension, revocation, or never having a license at all."
It is typically charged as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail and a $2,500.00 fine plus court costs. Consequences escalate if a license was suspended or revoked for DUI. In that case, a first conviction carries a minimum penalty of 10 days in jail or 30 days (240 hours) of community service. A second violation is a Class 4 felony that carries a potential sentence of 1-3 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and a fine not to exceed $25,000. The mandatory minimum punishment for a second offense means 30 days in jail or 300 hours of community service.
Our reader is referencing a basic expiration date. If you’re eligible for the online renewal process, you’ll get a letter with the required PIN approximately 90 days before the license or ID card's expiration date.
If you haven’t received a letter, you can check your eligibility here.
Here's another link to the Illinois Secretary of State and info on COVID-19's impact on driver's license renewal.
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.
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