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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.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
 CARE team members (left to right) Jordan Barnett, Lucas Goodman, Jorge Puma, Jeron Dorsey and Rachel Stams
After nearly three years of planning, Evanston’s first highly skilled, highly trained, five-member civilian crisis intervention team began taking calls on Monday, July 29. INSIDER spoke with CARE (Crisis Alternative Response Evanston) team member and Manager Jeron Dorsey this week. Find out what he had to say, along with more about CARE, in this week’s Inquiring Minds.
At this week’s Deployment Meeting, an uptick in gang conflicts was noted. Thanks to FLOCK license plate reader technology, stolen vehicles traveling our streets can now be identified, tracked, and recovered.
Details of incidents discussed at the Deployment Meeting follow.
Weekly Crime Map
 Click to enlarge
Deployment Meeting – July 31, 2024
Aggravated Domestic Battery Around 2:30 a.m. on July 26, a female residing in the 1400 block of Emerson was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery. The male victim, with lacerations to his left arm, was taken to Evanston Hospital for treatment.
Garage Burglary A bicycle was taken from an open garage in the 1300 block of Davis on July 24.
Missing Person(s)
- On July 27, drones were deployed to assist in the lakefront search of an elderly man, who was later located at his home on the north side of Chicago.
- An 82-year-old Skokie female last seen at the Levy Center on July 15 remains missing.
Motor Vehicle Burglary
An unlocked vehicle in the 1700 block of Davis was ransacked between July 23 and July 24.
Motor Vehicle Theft:
- Two electric scooters were stolen from a bike rack in the 1800 block of Oak on July 24.
- A resident in the 2300 block of Noyes Court reported his 2022 VW Passat stolen on July 26 by a known individual.
Recovered:
- A 2014 Nissan Maxima stolen out of Skokie was recovered in the 600 block of Mulford on July 26. Of note: In the early hours of July 28, FLOCK system cameras captured five vehicles stolen from surrounding suburbs traveling through Evanston. The Intel Unit is following up with those agencies to determine if and when the vehicles were recovered.
Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute
On July 26, a search warrant executed on a residence in the 800 block of Dobson yielded the recovery of approximately 22.2 grams of cannabis, 20.5 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of a suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture, $1100 cash, and 59 hydrocodone pills. Thirty-nine rounds of .38 special ammunition were also recovered. The man was taken into custody without incident and charged with multiple offenses.
Residential Burglary
- On July 25, a victim reported an attempted burglary of a residence in the 1900 block of Jackson. A canvass for security cameras in the area was completed with negative results.
- In the overnight hours of July 23 and July 24, an unknown subject defeated the lockbox of a building in the 1700 block of Oak. The offender took a package and gained access to a storage unit, where he made off with a computer keyboard. Police believe the man seen in security footage is responsible for other recent burglaries.
Theft
On July 26, around 1:30 p.m., a person selling an Xbox on Facebook Marketplace agreed to meet two buyers in the 700 block of Main. The pair, described as juveniles, took possession of the Xbox and then took off.
News You Can Use
EPD invites you to transact sales like these in the safety and security of the lobby at EPD HQs. If your buyer isn’t willing to meet at 1454 Elmwood, find someone who is.
Weapons-Related Incidents Person with a Gun
- On July 26, around 5:30 p.m., EPD received two calls about a person in possession of a handgun at McDonald's in the 1100 block of Howard. Officers responding to the scene were not able to locate a man matching the description provided by witnesses.
Shots Fired
- On July 30, police responded to several calls of 3-6 loud reports at Fleetwood-Jourdain. Camera footage revealed an offender firing four shots into the air. A person of interest has been identified. (See Unlawful Use of a Weapon below.)
- On July 27, a caller reported hearing gunshots and observing a silver vehicle making “donuts” at the intersection of Howard and Asbury. POD cameras captured the incident, but no gunshots were detected.
- EPD and CPD responded to a call of loud reports, likely fireworks, near Chicago and Howard on July 27 around 11:30 p.m.
Unlawful Use of a Weapon
Around 10:30 p.m. on July 29, EPD officers became aware of an argument between two groups near the basketball courts at Fleetwood-Jourdain. The officers attempted to conduct a street stop, at which point the subjects fled. EPD officers were able to apprehend one offender who was found with a Glock 33 handgun and 14 rounds of ammunition. The man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Random Notes/Heads Up
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More News You Can Use: Did you know that you can borrow life jackets free of charge at all Evanston swimming beaches? They’re available in limited quantities (infant to adult XL sizes) during permitted swimming hours when lifeguards are on duty.
- On July 27, around 12:30 p.m., EPD and EFD units responded to Clark Street Beach, where an elderly woman was pulled from the water and revived by lifeguards on the scene. She was transported to an area hospital.
- William H. Logan, Jr., Evanston’s first Black Chief of Police, who served the community from 1984-1987, passed away at his home on July 21. Read Chief Stewart’s statement here.
Inquiring Minds: Now, Some Calls to EPD Will Summon the Street-Ready CARE Team
 Four months ago, the City Council approved the implementation of an alternative 911 response program that had been in the planning stages since 2022. Hiring commenced, and five members of the Crisis Alternative Response Evanston (CARE) team, all Certified Crisis Responders and certified in Crisis Prevention by the Crisis Prevention Institute, officially hit the streets of Evanston on Monday, July 29.
The civilian CARE team, operating independently from EPD and under the auspices of the Parks and Recreation Department, provides a non-police response to low-risk service calls. These include a wide spectrum of non-violent calls, such as well-being checks, nuisance complaints, panhandling, lost or confused individuals, or other quality of life/public safety concerns.
By some estimates, nearly half the calls received by EPD fall into this category.
How It Works
CARE is integrated with the City’s 311 and 911 Communications Center. Calls are received through 911, 311, or the Police Non-Emergency Line (847-866-5000). The calls are then routed to the dispatchers, who determine the appropriate response. The CARE Team is outfitted with radios (similar to EPD), and they’re dispatched in the same fashion.
CARE is on call from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year. Team members work in pairs and arrive on scene (clearly identified as CARE team members) in casual attire, driving a non-intimidating white sedan.
There are three ways to connect:
- Call 911
- Call 311
- Call the Police Non-Emergency Line at 847-866-5000
Insider asked Jeron Dorsey (Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation and CARE Team Member/Manager) how things have gone so far. Here’s what he said: “The first couple of days have been exciting. All the responses from the community in our encounters have been positive. Building relationships, connecting individuals with resources, and reducing the burden on our police department is our top priority. ”
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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