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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.

After Midnight

Crash near Ridge and Lincoln on 9/28

We’ve all heard the saying, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” It’s a reminder that when we’re tired—or we’ve been partying—we don’t make the best decisions after the clock strikes 12.

Here’s why: According to a study from the Mass General Research Institute, our brains are not supposed to be awake after midnight. Researchers found that staying up late not only disrupts the brain’s sleep and wake cycle but also leads to more impulsive behavior and risky decisions like drinking, overeating, gambling, or even criminal activity.

An example of this is what happened around 1 a.m. on Sept. 28. A vehicle (see ‘after’ photo above), with a driver and three passengers, was speeding northbound on Ridge Avenue when it blew the stoplight at Lincoln Street and crashed into a vehicle heading west at that intersection. The westbound vehicle, which had the green light, rolled over several times before coming to rest on its roof. The driver, with broken bones and other injuries, was extracted from the vehicle and transported to the hospital. One of the passengers in the northbound car was also admitted to the hospital. The driver was charged with aggravated driving under the influence and several other traffic violations.

Details of other incidents covered in this week’s deployment recap follow:

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Presentation – October 2, 2024 

Aggravated Domestic Battery

• Arrest: On Oct. 1, officers were called to the 700 block of Dodge Avenue for a report of a male and female yelling at one another. At the same time, 911 received a call from the male in this incident claiming that his girlfriend was intoxicated. When officers arrived, they located the caller, who was outside by himself while his girlfriend was inside the residence crying for help. Once inside, officers noticed the apartment in disarray and the female on the bedroom floor. She told officers that her boyfriend used a machete to chop her mobile phone in half, then battered and choked her. Her injuries were consistent with what she reported to the officers. Her boyfriend, the caller, was taken into custody. A special watch has been placed on her residence.
• A victim reported that her domestic partner, a Chicago resident, struck and choked her on Sept. 26 at her residence in the 1900 block of Sherman Avenue. She was transported to Evanston Hospital for treatment. Her assailant has a long history of domestic incidents. The investigation is ongoing and a special watch has been placed on her residence.
• Arrest: On Sept. 14, a victim reported being battered in an unprovoked attack. The suspect, a man identified as a suspect in a prior domestic abuse case, was observed in Fountain Square on Oct. 2 by Special Operations Group (SOG) officers and arrested.

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon On Sept. 27, officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Dodge Avenue and Simpson Street on a 2017 Honda that was missing its front license plate. Officers were able to see a Glock handgun tucked in the front passenger seat rear pocket. An extended magazine with 20 live rounds was found under the driver’s seat. The driver has a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card but no concealed carry license. The man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and released with a court date.

Burglary

• Garage Burglary: A bicycle and helmet were taken from an unlocked garage in the 2100 block of Jackson Avenue on Sept. 24.
• Motor Vehicle Burglary:
• A laptop was taken from a vehicle parked in the 1200 block of Harvard Terrace on Sept. 30.
• A driver’s license and other documents were taken from an unlocked vehicle in the 1900 block of Dempster Street on Sept. 25.
• Residential Burglary: A caller residing in the 3000 block of Simpson Street reported that an antique sculpture valued at approximately $4,000 was missing from her unit. She didn’t recall the last time she remembered seeing it. She told police that she doesn’t routinely lock the front door and that a carpet cleaning company was on the premises between Sept. 23 and Sept. 24.

Package Theft Two instances on Oct. 1: household goods from a residence in the 2000 block of Howard Street, and consumable goods from a residence in the 800 block of Ridge Avenue.

Weapons-Related

• Assist Outside Agency: A male offender was arrested in Skokie after a foot pursuit by the Evanston Police Department’s Special Operations Group during a recent multi-jurisdictional motor vehicle theft saturation mission. He was wanted by Des Plaines Police Department for a fleeing and eluding case.
• Person with Gun:
• On Oct. 2, EPD received a call from a woman who reported that a person known to her was outside her residence in the 1500 block of Central Street with a gun.
• Officers responded to a Text-a-Tip on Sept. 27 that reported guns and drugs at a party in the 100 block of Ashland Avenue. Police were not able to observe either.
• On Sept. 26, a caller alerted police to the presence of a person in a white sedan displaying a gun in the 200 block of Custer Avenue. Police were not able to find evidence at the scene.

Shots Fired

• On Sept. 29, 3-6 loud reports were heard in the 1200 block of Simpson Street. Witnesses at the scene reported that they sounded like fireworks.
• Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots in the vicinity of Church Street and Ashland Avenue on Sept. 28. One witness saw three individuals shoot at a white sedan. Police were able to collect a bullet casing and a live round in the area.
• On Sept. 25, an anonymous caller reported hearing three shots near Dewey Avenue and Payne Street. The area was checked with negative results.

Random Notes

• The Chicago side of Howard Street continues to be rife with shots fired calls and shootings. Example: On Sept. 30, witnesses saw one man walk up to another man in the 1600 block of Howard Street, where the two started arguing and then started shooting.
• Special watches and patrols are in place at Evanston’s synagogues, Jewish community centers, and mosques in October. Yom Kippur runs from Oct. 11-12, and Sukkot from Oct. 16-23. (Learn about Sukkot houses here.) 
• EPD is receiving numerous calls about crosswalk issues at area schools in every corner of our town. You will see squads during drop-off and pick-up times. At all times, please observe school zone speed limits and crosswalks, and remember that pedestrians have the right of way.

Inquiring Minds: The Subject is Speed Limits

The MTV Generation's mantra about speed limits

It’s so great when someone like Reader F.M. asks the question that we all want to ask. Here’s what he wanted to know.

“Is there a general standard that officers apply when a person is exceeding the speed limit, regarding when to issue a speeding ticket? Or is it dependent on the particular situation and the officer's personal standard?”.  

Executive Officer Commander Glew has some guidance here.

“Even though I can’t and wouldn’t officially give the blessing to speed, I can offer some insight.

When you’re talking about a couple miles over the limit, four or five, let’s say, the likelihood of being stopped for that alone is very low. And when I say low, if you drive your entire life in the Chicagoland area and never get stopped, that wouldn’t surprise me.

If you care to push the limits a little more, then where you are at can determine the likelihood of getting stopped. The further you get into the suburbs and rural areas, the more likely you are going to be stopped for speeding. 

If you are stopped, the biggest determining factor to getting a citation is taking accountability for the violation. I am going to paraphrase this philosophy, but it sums it up. A reformer and pioneer of modern policing O.W. Wilson said, ‘Don't issue a citation when a warning will suffice, nor arrest when a citation will suffice.' Accepting responsibility indicates that a warning will be sufficient.” 

What about speed cameras or red light cameras where no mea culpa is going to persuade cold and unempathetic technology not to issue a citation. This is where the use of technology can be to your benefit. Using navigation apps, such as Google Maps, that run through your vehicle’s infotainment system will typically give you a heads up when you are approaching a speed and red light cameras. 

Hope that helps, and thanks for the excellent question. 

PLEASE SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS. Please continue to send us your inquiries here —we promise to answer any and all in a future issue. Comments and suggestions are appreciated too.

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.