Friday, June 11, 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.

Good times at the Hovland Block Party on 6/5

There are weeks when I struggle to coax a headline from the weekly Deployment Meeting. This was not one of them. Departmental announcements was an obvious one. Then, there was the motto-mysterious theft of side mirrors from six BMWs parked on the street. Finally, an incendiary device that caused an explosion and a fire around midnight on 6/8 at a home in the 1400 block of Brown. Arson took the lead.

According to detectives, the EPD received multiple calls that night about an explosion that shattered windows and caused interior damage to the home.  First floor occupants were able to escape without serious injury. Investigators determined that an incendiary device was thrown through a first floor window. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is working with the EPD, State Fire Marshals and other agencies to identify the type of explosive(s) used in the device and its potential for destruction.

Other incidents mentioned included shots fired calls (without evidence), more catalytic converter thefts (now including Honda CRVs) and a residential burglary. Not reported this week: bike thefts or indecent exposure incidents.

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Deployment Meeting – June 09, 2021

• Death investigation: A teenage girl was electrocuted as she and a friend walked along the tracks near the Central CTA station around 2 AM on 6/9. Victim Services has reached out.
• There were four catalytic converter thefts last week, with two to Toyota Prius vehicles. Honda CRV owners, beware. Cats were removed from Honda CRVs in an alley behind the 2100 block of Howard on 6/4 and off the street in the 400 block of Grove on 6/9. A resident disturbed by the buzzing sound of a power tool saw two subjects remove a converter from a Prius in the 900 block of Chicago before speeding off on 6/4 and the owner of a Prius parked in the 1200 block of Simpson reported his car’s catalytic converter missing on 6/8.
• In what seemed like the strangest new crime trend, side mirrors were stolen from six BMWs parked in downtown and south Evanston last week. A little research revealed the reason why. According to the New York Post (rarely quoted here), “Bandits are swiping high-tech side-view mirrors from luxury cars and re-selling them on the black market. The thieves favor makes like Audi, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Lexus and BMW, whose newer models sport side-view mirrors with built-in cameras that are valued between $1,500 and $2,000.”
• On 6/5, an EPD officer assisted the Skokie PD in locating a vehicle involved in an incident on I-94 where a driver brandished a handgun. A search of the vehicle, which was abandoned by the driver in the 1900 block of Brown, yielded a loaded Glock 26 9mm handgun.
• The Traffic Bureau reports an uptick in crashes on Ridge. The State’s imminent move to Phase 5, cops think, is having an impact on traffic.
• Shots fired calls, between 6/2 and 6/9, included:
  • 6/2, 10 PM - 2000 block of Brown
  • 6/3, 6:30 PM – 1800 block of Darrow
  • 6/5, 9 PM – 300 block of Chicago
  • 6/6, 11:30 PM - 800 block of Brummel
  • 6/7, 4:30 AM – 1800 block of Darrow
  • 6/9/21 – 5 AM - 1900 block of Jackson
  • Police responding to these locations were not able to recover evidence in the form of shells or bullet casings.
• Residential burglary: On 6/9, a crook entered a residence in the 1200 block of Simpson through an unlocked window. The occupant reported a handbag and wallet missing.
• Officers from Community Strategies have added Lighthouse Beach, where there have been 20 calls for service in the past week, and the lakefront to their summer patrols. They attended Pray4Peace and Lighthouse Landing Complex meetings in addition to the successful Hovland Block Club party (pictured above) and continued to address quality-of-life issues at various locations around Evanston.

The Week Ahead

• Community Strategies (PST) officers will be present, as usual, at the Farmers Market as well as Ridgeville Park District, 2^nd Ward and Homelessness Task Force meetings. They’ll also be present at the 1^st Ward Coffee with Clare event and Pray4Peace Rally this weekend.
• Check out this Round Table article for details on Juneteenth celebrations. Also check for street closing in the area on 6/19. 
• And of course, June is Pride Month. Evanston Pride is sponsoring several events on 6/26. You can find more information here. 

Inquiring Minds: A Few Words About Dogs on the Beach

Photo: Evanston Round Table

Until 2019, Evanston operated two dog parks – Pooch Park (located east of the North Shore Channel and north of Oakton Street), and the Evanston Dog Beach (located on the lakefront between Church Street and Clark Street). Sadly, high lake levels forced the closing of the Evanston Dog Beach.

Since then, the City has received numerous requests for the construction of a second dog park within the City limits. Recognizing the need for owner-and-pooch outdoor recreation, the City budgeted $110,000 in the 2021 Capital Improvement Plan to construct a second dog park.

This March, a public meeting was held and a survey fielded to identify potential sites for the new park. The finalists were Clark Square, Ingraham Park and Lovelace Park. The winner is yet to be publicly announced, but conceptual designs are underway and construction bids will be sought in the fall.

How this ends up being a matter for the EPD is that we no longer have a dog beach. As a result, Animal Warden Pounds (a dog lover) spends many hours this time of the year enforcing four-legged friend ordinances (including leash laws) along the lakefront. 

The rules are pretty simple:

• Dogs, not counting those frolicking at Pooch Park, must be leashed at all times.
• Dogs are not allowed on any of Evanston’s public beaches at any time.

Let’s say Fido loves to swim. There are local options:

Chicago (These beaches are designated as DFAs – Dog Friendly Areas)

• North Shore Beach Park (Rogers Park), Montrose Beach, Belmont Harbor Beach

Highland Park – Moraine Dog Beach & Park

Lake Bluff – Sunrise Park

Wilmette – Gillson Park Dog Beach

Each community has its own rules. For starters, owners must have proof of their pets’ up-to-date vaccinations. Permit fees apply (higher for non-residents, of course), along with city or county licenses, in most cases.  Call or check online for the details.

One last thing: No matter how well-behaved your dog is, please observe the leash law. Not all dogs (mine especially) respond appropriately to a well-intentioned greeting from a stranger. Maintaining complete control of your pet keeps everyone safe.

Now, enjoy the summer. In The Squad Room will be on hiatus and return in two weeks.

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.