Friday, May 28, 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.
In the six years that I’ve been writing ITSR, I can recall perhaps as many mentions of public indecency in deployment meetings in all that time. And yet, since the first of the year, it seems like there’s been an epidemic, with at least 19 incidents reported since January. This week, there were four reports and the arrest of one offender not suspected in the earlier incidents. (Details follow.)
Crime Analyst Ring noted, apart from the aforementioned, a light week for crime, with five bike thefts, two shots fired calls, a residential burglary and a catalytic converter theft.
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Deployment Meeting – May 26, 2021
- Anthony Verthein was charged with criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct on 5/25 after threatening a gas station employee and then damaging goods at a grocery store across the street around 10:30 PM in the 1100 block of Chicago.
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Shots fired calls to the police on 5/24 in the 2300 block of Church and on 5/21 near Church/Darrow did not result in the collection of any evidence.
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Public indecency incidents:
- The resident of a building in the 800 block of Chicago reported seeing an unknown subject engaged in indecent behavior in the elevator on 5/22. She described him as a Black male, late 20s, around 5’10”, bald or with very short hair, shirtless and wearing blue jeans.
- On 5/20, a caller reported seeing a Black male approximately 20 years of age wearing a grey hoodie standing in the alley in the 400 block of Lee with his hands inside his sweatshirt. She reported that the subject was the same person she had observed in a previous incident.
- Around 10AM on 5/23, a caller in the 2500 block of Jackson reported a suspicious person who commented on the caller's appearance. A short time later, another caller in the 1100 block of Central reported a subject walking eastbound exposing his genitals. The subject matched the description from the earlier call, a Black male, late 20's, wearing all black clothing.
- ARRESTED: On 5/22, a citizen reported that a subject was following her in the area of 1600 block of Sherman. The responding officer found Cortez Carter on the corner of Church & Benson with his pants pulled down and his hands in his underwear. He was taken into custody and charged with public indecency.
- Three of the five bicycle thefts this week were unsecured kids’ bikes; two were eventually recovered. Secured bikes were stolen from the common area of a building in the 500 block of Michigan and a porch in the 1400 block of Grey.
- Just one catalytic converter theft this week on 5/19 in the 800 block of Sherman from a 2008 Toyota.
- Officers from Community Strategies attended Problem Properties Task Force, Parks & Recreation Lakefront Planning, NU Journalism, Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, and Homelessness Task Force meetings. They continue walk-and-talks in the Chicago/Main area where recent robbery and public indecency incidents have occurred.
- As hate crimes increase nationally, patrol officers continue monitoring mosques, synagogues, and Jewish community centers and organizations. Included in their routine patrols are transit stations, Howard Street, the downtown area and parking garages.
- The IDOT Memorial Day campaign focusing on seat belt safety is in full swing and runs through 5/31.
The Week Ahead
- Community Strategies (PST) officers will conduct walk-and talks in the downtown area and be present the Farmers Market. They continue to address quality-of-life issues related to problem properties, the city’s homeless population and panhandling.
- Beach patrols will be increased in anticipation of warmer weather.
- Plans, not yet confirmed, are underway for a Juneteenth celebration. (It was on June 19th in 1865 that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that enslaved people were free.)
Memorial Day Statistics
A frequently asked question is “How much more dangerous is travel over the Memorial Day holiday?” Answering this question raises two more: “Compared to what?” and “What about changes in the amount of driving?”
The National Safety Council (NSC) compares the holiday to periods of similar length, specifically from 6 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday, during the weeks immediately before and after the Memorial Day weekend. The average number of traffic deaths during Memorial Day over the last six years is 14.1% higher than the average number of traffic deaths during the comparison periods. This year, a 60% increase in travel (including air travel) is expected.
5 Tips for Safe Memorial Day Travel
Follow the advice of the NSC as you make your Memorial Day travel plans. They’ll help prepare—and protect—your family while out on the road.
- Practice defensive driving. Buckle up, designate a sober driver or arrange alternative transportation, get plenty of sleep to avoid fatigue, and drive attentively, avoiding distractions.
- Recognize the dangers of drugged driving, including impairment from prescription opioids. Visit StopEverydayKillers.org to understand the impact of the nation’s opioid crisis.
- Stay engaged in teens’ driving habits. Visit DriveitHOME.org for resources.
- Learn about your vehicle’s safety systems and how to use them. Visit MyCarDoesWhat.org for information.
- Fix recalls immediately. Visit ChecktoProtect.org to ensure your vehicle does not have an open recall.
As COVID 19 Measures Devolve …
The grace period for expired license plates has ended. Please make sure your registration is current to avoid a $90 fine. Jesse White’s office encourages citizens to renew online.
To register, you’ll need your vehicle registration card or past renewal notice containing your Registration ID and PIN numbers. If you don’t have a renewal notice or a current registration card, call the Public Inquiry Division at 800-252-8980, then visit Cyber Drive Illinois and go to the “License Plate Renewal Email Notices” under Online Services.
In the past year, more than 1.5 million people have renewed their license plate stickers online, nearly double the number from the previous year. People who conduct online transactions avoid waiting in line at a facility. But if you need to visit a facility, face masks are still required.
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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