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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.

Possession of Certain Dogs by a Convicted Felon

Not the actual dogs, who Animal Wardern Kublala says are doing fine.

Detectives from the EPD’s Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested an Evanston man in connection with the distribution of narcotics near Albany Care in the 900 block of Maple Avenue. The arrests followed a two-month-long investigation prompted by complaints from concerned residents.

The investigation focused on a suspect who was believed to be selling narcotics in the neighborhood. The investigation led to four controlled purchases, two of which took place during school hours within 1,000 feet of Park School in the 800 block of Main Street.

On Oct. 10, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of Ashland Avenue. During the execution of the warrant, officers recovered suspected crack cocaine and approximately $200 in cash. They also observed three dogs in the man’s apartment. By law, the offender, who is a convicted felon, is prohibited from owning unsterilized or vicious dogs (Possession of Certain Dogs by a Convicted Felon). The Evanston Animal Warden responded to the scene, took custody of the trio, and transported them to the Evanston Animal Shelter.

During the operation, a second individual was arrested and charged with possession of a fraudulent ID and several outstanding traffic warrants.

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

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Presentation – October 16, 2024 

Aggravated Battery

On Oct. 9, EPD received a call of three male subjects firing weapons in the alley behind the 1600 block of Washington. Police observed a blood trail leading to a backyard where two injured combatants remained. The men were transported to separate hospitals—St. Francis and Evanston—for treatment. Weapons were not located. An investigation is underway.

Aggravated Domestic Assault

A victim of prior assaults by the same offender reported that he threatened her with a gun on Oct. 10 at her residence. The man has a lengthy criminal history, and the victim’s residence is under a Special Watch.

Animal Cruelty

This week detectives were able to charge an Evanston man with one felony count of animal torture stemming from an Aug. 5 incident where multiple canines were found living in uninhabitable conditions, some caged, two to a crate, and one with a zip-tied snout. The dogs were taken to the Evanston Animal Shelter at that time, evaluated, treated, and housed for safekeeping, pending future adoptions.

Burglaries

Storage Area Burglary

A pry tool was used to gain entry on Oct. 10 to a building in the 800 block of Custer, where a subject made off with a package and a bicycle from a bike room.

Motor Vehicle Burglary

A victim is willing to share Ring camera video in an effort to catch the crooks who, on Oct. 11, broke into his vehicle parked in the 2100 block of Darrow and took his backpack, laptop, and mobile phone.

Residential Burglary·

• On Oct. 11, a victim reported that several items, including documents, a PS5 gaming console, and two iPhones, were taken from her residence.
• Offenders gained entry to a residence in the 1800 block of Brummel on Oct. 10 and took items from a victim’s wallet.

(Tagging) Graffiti

Tagging was seen in seven locations in Beat 73 (see map) during the deployment period. All were to public property, including light poles, control, traffic, and utility boxes, mostly on Chicago Avenue.

Involuntary Committal

A male was taken to the hospital for an involuntary committal on Oct. 9. He was reported swinging a 5-foot piece of bamboo and hollering incoherently, frightening residents and pedestrians. The man has a history of mental health issues and aggression toward emergency services personnel.

Motor Vehicle Theft

A 2009 Genuine Buddy 125 scooter was stolen from a residence in the 700 block of Austin on Oct. 5 and recovered in Rogers Park on Oct. 14. According to the Crime Analyst, there have been 20 scooters stolen in Evanston since the beginning of the year. Many, she said, have been recovered in Chicago. NUPD also reports continuing scooter thefts on and off campus.

Robbery

On Oct. 10, a clerk at a gas station in the 500 block of Dodge reported being robbed of $100 at gunpoint.

Weapons-Related Offenses

Person with a Gun

• Units were dispatched to the 100 block of Ridge on Oct. 15 when a man reported that he was verbally threatened by an individual who he believed had a handgun inside his jacket pocket.
• On Oct. 9, in an ongoing conflict between neighbors, a caller reported seeing a gun during a verbal altercation. Police called to the scene were not able to locate a weapon.

Shots Fired·

• Multiple callers reported shots fired in the 1900 block of Jackson on Oct. 10. Police were unable to locate evidence; however, the block has been the scene of multiple disturbances in the last few weeks, and special patrols have been issued for the area.
• On Oct. 10, a caller reported hearing shots fired in the 1400 block of Simpson. The area was checked with negative results.
• A caller reported hearing one shot in the 2000 block of Warren on Oct. 9. Neighbors interviewed by police suggested that the loud report might have been fireworks.
• On Oct. 9, an anonymous caller in the 1800 block of Main reported hearing one shot. The area was checked with negative results.

Random Notes

On Oct. 16, EPD released the results of additional enforcement efforts conducted via the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program. Officers issued 549 citations and made 27 arrests.

Activity included:

• 223 occupant restraint citations
• 124 other assorted moving and non-moving violation citations
• 109 speeding citations
• 93 electronic device use citations
• 25 traffic arrests
• 1 driving under the influence arrest, and
• 1 criminal arrest

From the Curiosity File:

• On Oct. 14, EPD was called to the 1800 block of Darrow for a report of a rusted hand grenade unearthed by the family dog. The Cook County Bomb Squad arrived at the location to safely remove the grenade.
• Special Watches and patrols remain in place at Evanston’s synagogues and Jewish community centers in October. The high holidays are behind us, but Sukkot runs through Oct. 23.
• After many months of construction, Main Street retailers and residents invite you to Main Street Fall Fest on Oct. 20. It runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• A Directed Area Patrol continues at Fountain Square, where disturbances and public drinking continue to roil the police and residents.

Inquiring Minds: Who Gets Dispatched? CARE or EPD?

At the 911 Communications Center

One evening, Reader J.M. observed a troubled individual causing a disturbance outside a downtown restaurant. Police arrived at the scene to de-escalate the incident. He had this question:

Does the CARE team or EPD typically respond to calls like these? Who makes the determination, and what criteria are applied?

Assistant Communications Manager Alicia Atkinson provides the response:

“Once the incident has been identified as a potential CARE Team-eligible call, the call handler screens the incident by questioning the caller for any of the disqualifying factors. The mention of weapons, violence or threat of violence, emergency medical needs, involvement of orders of protection, a known history of violence, aggression, or escalated incident types involving the individuals or locations. If any of these factors are involved or the call handler cannot confidently eliminate their presence, the call is deemed ineligible for a CARE Team response, and officers are sent. If there is no information provided pointing to disqualifying factors, the CARE Team will be sent (assuming they are on duty).

Based on the information provided by the reader, I'm assuming the yelling of obscenities combined with patrons attempting to intimidate the individual caused the call handler to identify the situation as having a threat of violence and deemed a law enforcement response as most appropriate.

It's also possible they were familiar with the individual or there was a history at that location that caused them to identify the situation as high-risk for violence. The call handlers determine the proper response while keeping in mind the safety of all involved (the callers, bystanders, involved parties, and responders) and err on the side of caution to ensure the safety of all involved.”

A special thanks this week to Crime Analyst Ring, Assistant Communications Manager Atkinson, and Communications Manager Voss for their invaluable assistance with this issue.

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.