Saturday, April 13, 2024 | View in browser
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.
Home Invasion
It isn’t very often that trespass rises to the level of a home invasion, but that’s what happened just before midnight on Friday, 4/4, when a resident became aware of a stranger in her apartment.
Calling 911 from inside her locked bedroom, the victim reported an unknown subject inside her residence in the 1600 block of Hinman. She stated that the man approached her before she was able to escape into her bedroom and lock the door.
When police arrived, they forced entry into the apartment and located the man lying in a separate bedroom, under the covers. The man was known to EPD; in 2023, police located him in a residence in the 100 block of Greenwood, sitting in a chair and smoking a cigar. In this case, he was charged with Residential Burglary and Unlawful Restraint. He is presently in custody at the Cook County DOC.
Details of reported incidents discussed at the Deployment Meeting follow.
Weekly Crime Map
 Click to enlarge
Deployment Meeting – April 10, 2024
Battery
A subject was leaving a gas station in the 1900 block of Green Bay around 8:30 p.m. on 4/9 when he was approached by a known subject who attempted to push him off his scooter. The victim was able to flee the scene. A person of interest, also a juvenile, is known to the police.
Bicycle Theft
Two this week:
- On 4/9, locked to a bike rack in the 1700 block of Maple.
- On 4/8, a bicycle valued at $3500+ locked to a bike rack in the 1100 block of Church.
Catalytic Converter Theft
Sometime between 4/6/24 and 4/7/24, unknown subjects took a catalytic converter from a 2013 Volkswagen parked in the 600 block of Judson.
Disturbance and Drug Overdose
On 4/6, patrol officers responded to the 300 block of Howard for a disturbance and found an unconscious man on the sidewalk. Callers reported that the man had been throwing his body at the windows of a retail store before collapsing. Officers used Narcan to revive the man, and EFD then took him to the hospital.
Fleeing and Eluding
A midnight patrol unit attempted a traffic stop on a 2019 BMW in the 500 block of Sheridan for multiple traffic violations. The vehicle fled southbound on Sheridan at a high rate of speed. The vehicle registered to a Naperville resident, believed to be the driver’s parent. Naperville PD and DuPage County were notified and advised that the driver will be turning himself in to EPD.
Garage Burglary
Between 4/3 and 4/4, a burglar used a garage door opener to make off with a moped. The bike was recovered later.
Graffiti
The spray paint cans were out again this week, with graffiti seen in seven locations, mostly electrical boxes and public property, throughout Evanston.
Incidents Involving Juveniles
On 4/8, around 9:46 p.m., police were alerted to the 1500 block of Church where a fight was in progress. A crowd of juveniles was present, with callers reporting weapons involved. The police were able to take one of the participants into custody. At EPD headquarters, the offender spit at one of the officers, adding Battery to other charges.
Indecent Exposure
Warmer weather is here, and with it, incidents like these. Two different offenders, both reported on 4/8:
- Officers responded to a call on a subject masturbating, seated on a parkway in the 1200 block of Asbury. He was issued a citation and asked to leave.
- On the second floor of the Main Library, a patron reported that someone followed them and then flashed them. Library staff indicated that the offender is known to them.
Motor Vehicle Burglary
On 4/8, the owner of a 2021 Jeep reported that an iPhone, skateboard, and art supplies were missing from the unlocked vehicle parked on the street in the 200 block of Kedzie.
Motor Vehicle Theft
Between 4/3 and 4/4, a Hyundai Sonata was taken from the driveway of a home in the 1600 block of Dobson. It was recovered, with a damaged steering column, in Chicago.
Possession of a Controlled Substance
Detectives were on patrol in the area of Custer and Brummel around 7:30 p.m. on 4/4 when they observed a vehicle with a suspended registration. A traffic stop was conducted and contact was made with the driver. Cannabis, open alcohol, and a replica firearm were in plain view. The airsoft gun was seized, and the driver was cited and released on scene.
Robbery
On 4/9, around 6:30 p.m., a 15-year-old was at the Robert Crown Center on his bicycle when he noticed an unknown male looking at him. The victim tried to leave, but the subject grabbed his expensive Engine 11 Vortex bicycle and rode away. The incident has been assigned to the juvenile bureau.
Shots Fired
Two reports, both with negative results. Areas were checked; shells or bullet casing weren’t located.
- 4/6, near Central and Hartrey, around 9:45 p.m. One call for 6-7 shots heard.
- 4/4, near Emerson and Hartrey, around 9:15 p.m. One call for two shots heard.
Random Notes/Heads Up
The last of spring’s religious holidays is Passover, 4/22–30. EPD officers continue to direct special patrols to the city’s nine houses of worship, community centers, and faith-based community centers that are experiencing security concerns due to world events.
Inquiring Minds:
Motorized Vehicles of Sidewalks
 Reader D.P. wants to know: “What are the laws about riding electric bikes and electric scooters (and those very scary one-wheeled things) on the sidewalks? Don't they fall into the "vehicle" category if they're not human-powered?”
INSIDER was warned by the Traffic Bureau that what should be a simple enough answer isn’t. So let’s start here, with some help from Traffic Officer Samson:
- Electric bicycles are specifically defined under 625 ILCS 5/1-140.15 and their operation is described under 625 ILCS 5/11-1517. This information can also be found in the IL Secretary of State booklet for bicycle rules of the road. Under Title 10, Chapter 9 of the Evanston City Ordinance, operation of electric bicycles are further described, which includes the prohibition of Class 3 electric bicycles in a bike lane or on a sidewalk [10-9-4(N)(5)(ii)]
- Under city ordinance 10-1-9-6, the following motorized devices are declared a public nuisance and unlawful upon any sidewalk, street, or public way or in or upon any municipal parking area, parking lot, or upon any street, roadway, or public way within the corporate limits of the City: any motorized or motor assisted skateboard, motorized or motor assisted roller skates, motorized scooter, or motor assisted pedicycle. The Legal Dept. has opined that other similar devices, such as electric push scooters and electric unicycles, fall under the same category and are also a public nuisance and unlawful.
Is your head spinning yet? Let’s try this (and it relates to what is allowed inside Evanston city limits):
Electric Bikes:
- Allowed on streets only (but not downtown streets)
Motorized Scooters, Skateboards, Unicycles, and Motorized Rollerblades:
- Not allowed on sidewalks, streets, or parking lots
The simple answer is that these motorized means of transport on city sidewalks are in violation of city ordinances. Enforcement, however, is a matter of an Officer being present in the moment and that’s why very few citations are issued.
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.
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