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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.

Misadventures in the Meat Department

The lead story this past week was thefts and burglaries. One notable exception, and this may be the first in the history of this post: no motor vehicle break-ins. (At least none reported.)

But here’s a cautionary tale and an old one. Beware of pickpockets, especially if you’re old enough to remember The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.

On 2/6, a customer at a nearby grocery store asked a good Samaritan for help getting a package of meat she couldn't reach. After retrieving the meat, the good Samaritan was surprised to find, just moments later, that her wallet was missing. A security video revealed a male subject removing a wallet from her purse while she was distracted. The pickpocket took advantage of the opportunity to use "misdirection", a tried-and-true trick used by magicians, when the good Samaritan was assisting a fellow customer.

A recap of other incidents follows.

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Meeting – February 7, 2024 

Discussed at the meeting:

Aggravated Battery

On 2/1, around 5:30 p.m., police were called to an address in the 2200 block of Foster, where officers discovered a battered female. Her assailant, in an attempt to evade the police, locked himself and his children inside the residence. Police forced entry to the rear door and were able to remove the offender and children. The man has been taken into custody and charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor. In addition, DCFS has been notified.

Burglaries

Commercial

Security cameras captured the image of a burglar who broke into an auto shop in the 2900 block of Central on 2/3 around 4 a.m. Cigarettes were reported missing.

Garage

• A resident reported that a burglar took a snow blower and a lawn mower from her unlocked garage in the 2100 block of Pioneer between 2/3 and 2/4.
• Another resident of Beat 75 reported a garage burglary that occurred between 1/30 and 2/1. It’s not clear if anything was removed.
• On 2/1, an electric scooter and clothing were removed from an unlocked garage in the 1200 block of Emerson.

Residential

On 2/2, a burglar forced entry into a storage room and made off with a bicycle and packages.

Catalytic Converter Thefts

This week, three catalytic converters were reported stolen:

• 2/6, 1300 block of Judson, 2012 Hyundai Electra
• 2/2, 1100 block of Washington, VW Jetta
• Between 2/1 and 2/2, 1000 block of Brown, Nissan Cargo Van

Safety Tip: If you observe or hear catalytic converter thieves at work, do not intervene. Some crews are armed. Call 911 immediately.

Drug Possession Arrest

On 2/2, around 5:30 p.m., SOG Detectives conducted a traffic stop in the 1600 block of Ashland. A passenger refused to exit the vehicle and appeared to swallow a baggie of suspect narcotics. He was removed from the car and continued to actively resist arrest. Found in the vehicle were 117 grams of weed, a large amount of cash, narcotics packaging material, and a digital scale. He was charged with Felony Obstructing, Delivery of Cannabis, and Possession of Cannabis.

Graffiti

The word “ENDER” made a repeat appearance on a shelter wall at Larimer Park.

A security video exists of an individual spray painting FREENDAH on the One Rotary building wall.

Motor Vehicle Attempts, Recoveries, and Thefts

Attempt

• Between 2/5 and 2/6, 700 block of Asbury, Kia Sportage
• Between 1/30 and 1/31, 2100 block of Harrison, Kia SUV

Stolen

• A Hyundai Elantra was stolen in the 500 block of Hinman on 2/6.
• On 2/5, a Kia Sportage was reported stolen from the 900 block of Lee.
• On 2/2, an offender, in the parking lot of a store in the 2400 block of Main, entered a female victim’s Lexus as she was loading groceries into the vehicle and drove off. Security cameras tracked the Lexus as it was heading toward Chicago on Western. Similar incidents have occurred at gas stations involving a dark gray Acura SUV as a suspect vehicle.

Recovered

• A Hyundai Sonata on 2/5 around 10:30 a.m. in the 800 block of Forest was later discovered in Rogers Park with a peeled steering column.
• A Hyundai stolen from the 600 block of Hinman was later recovered in Chicago with a peeled steering column. The date of the theft is unknown.

Criminal Damage to Vehicle and Resisting Arrest

On 02/02, firefighters witnessed a male subject jumping on an SUV at Emerson and Dodge. EFD assisted in getting the mother and daughter out of the vehicle unharmed. Officers arrived, and despite de-escalation efforts, they had to physically arrest the subject. One officer suffered a minor injury, and the subject was charged with Felony Criminal Damage to a Vehicle ($10K-100K) and Resisting a Police Officer. 

Weapons-Related Offenses

While investigators weren’t able to locate evidence in the form of firearms, shells, or bullet casings, these were the Man With a Gun calls that came in last week:

• On 2/4, in the 2400 block of Howard, at 10:20 p.m., a caller reported reckless driving in a parking lot, and shots were fired. Police interviewed two juveniles who admitted to firing a cap gun.
• On 2/2, near Dodge and Emerson, at 12:45 a.m., officers responded to shots fired, but nothing was located.
• On 2/2, near Hartrey and Greenleaf, at 6:30 p.m., an individual was seen pointing a gun at a victim. Officers arrived on scene, but the offender and victim had already fled.

Random Notes/Heads Up

On 2/6, around 5:30 PM, a Toyota RAV4 and a motorcycle collided on Asbury between Howard and Oakton. The 48-year-old motorcyclist was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The EPD is continuing to deploy patrols to houses of worship as hate crimes and tensions in the Middle East continue to fester.

Inquiring Minds: Contact the Police!

Last October, the EPD announced the release of a custom smartphone application.

ThePoliceApp.com, a company that specializes in developing mobile apps for police departments and other public safety organizations across the nation, created the app. The intent was to offer anyone with a smartphone an easy way to access information, provide feedback, and connect with the department.

Apps have the singular advantage of reaching people where they are, which these days is on smartphones.

If you’re thinking that you don’t need another app on your phone, here are some jaw-dropping metrics. The average smartphone user has over 80 apps downloaded on their phone and uses 9 or 10 of them every day. There’s no denying it—mobile apps are a part of everyday life now.

Here’s what you can do on the Evanston Police Department Mobile App:

• Read the Chief’s message
• Connect with 311
• Submit a Tip
• Make a FOIA Request
• Commend an Officer
• File a Complaint
• Share a Comment
• View Open Positions at the EPD
• Access the Transparency Hub (Police Dashboard)
• Read Recent Press Releases

User messages are transmitted to the 311 Communications Center and handled in much the same way that non-emergency calls are. This means that 911 is still the number to call in an emergency situation requiring an immediate response.

The EPD Mobile App hasn’t kicked Facebook from its #1 position yet, but Commander Glew says that the department has seen a steady increase in users, with accessing social media platforms and reviewing alerts being the most popular activities.

The app is available to download for free in the App Store and Google Play by searching “Evanston Police Department, IL” or by scanning the QR code above.

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.