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Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights

In this post, a community member who sits in on the Evanston Police
Department’s weekly Deployment Meeting shares notes on the topics discussed and writes about public safety matters of interest to people who work or live in Evanston.

Organized Retail Theft 

More and more retailers are turning to solutions like this. Credit: Depositphotos

Here is a new acronym for you: ORC. What it stands for—organized retail crime—is a national crime trend and one that continues to frustrate retailers right here at home. Here’s a definition: “Organized retail crime (ORC), also referred to as organized retail theft (ORT) or professional shoplifting, involves two or more people who conspire to steal retail merchandise with the intention of reselling the items at a profit.”

Organized retail crime has become an issue for retailers nationwide, with major chain stores reporting that they’re closing storefronts due to theft losses and public safety. Worse still, recent statistics show that 88% of retailers say that shoplifters are more aggressive and violent compared to a year ago.

Here's proof: Around 8 p.m. on 1/19, three subjects walked into a grocery store in the 2400 block of Howard, threatened the security guard with pepper spray and a stun gun, then fled the store with a bottle of vodka. Illinois has passed a law to address the rise in organized retail theft, making offenders eligible for felony charges. Since the law has gone into effect, EPD has used it twice, including the 2400 block of Howard incident.

On other fronts, it was a slow week for crime, as the map attests.

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Meeting – January 24, 2024

Discussed at the meeting:

Commercial Burglary

The front door of the Sher-Main Grill was reported unsecured on 1/19 around 7 p.m. A cabinet was ransacked, but it’s unclear whether anything was missing or if security video is available for review.

Residential Burglary

On 1/18, offenders gained entry to a residence in the 1600 block of Monroe through a kitchen window, ransacked several rooms, and stole a reported $12,000 in cash along with gold jewelry. Detectives are investigating and reviewing evidence.

A caller alerted police to a burglary attempt in the 2000 block of Warren on 1/22, when a damaged window screen was observed. Neighbors told investigators that they noticed the bent screen two days prior.

Graffiti

Graffiti was reported in five locations (Beats 71, 74, and 76) across Evanston during the deployment period, where the word GLARE was written in black spray paint. What does it mean? As of this writing, no one knows.

Motor Vehicle Theft

On 1/23, a Honda Pilot was reported stolen from the 800 block of Davis. Later that same day, it struck a Kankakee County Sheriff’s vehicle, where it was pursued by local law enforcement. It eventually crashed in the neighboring town of Aroma Park, where its three occupants, including two juveniles, were taken into custody.

Package Theft

Porch pirates were at it again when a package was taken in the afternoon hours of 1/20 from an address in the 1400 block of Howard.

Theft

An offender entered a vehicle and took a wallet at a gas station in the 2400 block of Main as a female victim was pumping gas. The individual pulled up and fled in an Acura SUV stolen out of Chicago. Similar incidents occurred in Rosemont and Niles on 1/23. Cook County Sheriff’s Police believe a crew is responsible for these and similar incidents in the area.

Robbery Arrest

On 1/19, EPD detectives were able to take a subject into custody wanted for the robbery of a cabdriver in the 2300 block of Dempster on 12/13. The offender had taken a 20-mile cab ride to the Evanston address when he asked the victim to make change for the fare. He was then joined by a second offender, who took the victim’s cash and iPhone.

Vehicle Burglaries

There were five this week, three in Beat 75, Northwest Evanston.

Secured:

• Between 1/14 and 1/15, a tool was used to force entry into a vehicle in the 400 block of Ridge.

Inside a Locked Garage:

• Burglars broke into the locked garage of an apartment building in the 1700 block of Central in the overnight hours of 1/20 to 1/21 and took a work bag. The victim was subsequently informed of fraudulent charges on his credit card.
• There was another motor vehicle burglary the same night at the same address. A victim reported his vehicle being ransacked, with a garage door opener and loose change missing.

Not Secured:

• An unlocked vehicle parked in the 2300 block of Hastings was ransacked.
• 2500 block of Harrison, the vehicle owner saw subjects in his likely unlocked vehicle before fleeing in a white van. It did not appear anything was taken. 

Weapons-Related Reports

On 1/21, there were two calls for multiple shots heard around 8 p.m. in the 1900 block of Grey. The police were unable to retrieve evidence in the form of shells or bullet casings.

Police responded to a report of a man with a gun in the 1900 block of Asbury at 11:30 PM on 1/23. Investigators at the scene interviewed two subjects. Video footage indicated that a weapon was not present.

Inquiring Minds: Don't Call it a Comeback

Credit: AP

After the first issue of Insider was sent out, Commander Glew received emails wondering if this was the new In The Squad Room and expressing appreciation that it had returned. It is a fair question: is this the new In The Squad Room, and if not, how is Insider different?

By the metrics, In The Squad Room was one of the most, if not the most, popular and engaged city publications. Even popular publications require periodic review, and in the fall of 2021, in the midst of several leadership changes at EPD, In The Squad Room ceased publication.  

Flashforward two years later to the fall of 2023, and EPD's newest leader, Chief Shenita Stewart, had finished her first year on the job. One of Chief Stewart's edicts has been department engagement with the community. 

Approval to resurrect the post started inside the EPD and went all the way up the chain of command. The original mission of the post—providing transparency, offering a civilian’s perspective, and sharing public safety information based on current events—remains intact. But like all things law enforcement in recent years, there has been reflection and reimagining, and not all is the same. 

The biggest difference is that when summarizing crime events, the tone has evolved to a Joe Friday approach: "Just the facts, ma'am." The previous wit and engaging perspective remains where appropriate. 

So here we are. A fresh start demanded a new name. Insider: This Week at EPD will deliver past readers the content they came to expect, this time just a smidge less casual, a skosh more polished.

We are in build mode here. One of the hallmarks of the previous version was the engagement we routinely received from its readers. Insider's ability to give the community direct access to the Department to answer questions and address concerns was one of the things that Chief Stewart values most. So please share your comments and suggestions as we roll out ITSR’s heir apparent. 

So, don't call it a comeback, even though we haven't been here for a couple of years.

Got a question for INSIDER? Send them here and we’ll try to answer them in a future issue.

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.