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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.

No One Answers "Yes" to that Question

Around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16, officers patrolling in the area of Dodge and Emerson were flagged down by two juveniles who said they’d just been robbed.

The teens told police that they were in Gilbert Park when they were approached by three juveniles they didn’t know. They took one of the victim’s backpacks, containing his phone and some cash. One of the offenders pulled up his sweatshirt, revealing a weapon in his waistband, and asked, “Do you want to die today?” The victims fled on foot, running southbound on Dodge before hailing a squad car. The victims were able to provide descriptions of the robbers.

Other incidents discussed at this week’s deployment meeting—including an uptick in shots fired calls, bike thefts, and tagging—follow.

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Presentation – October 23, 2024 

Arrests

SOG (Special Operations Group) detectives made two outstanding warrant arrests during the deployment period:

• On Oct. 22, they observed a known subject with an active warrant out of Cook County. A street stop was conducted, and the man was placed under arrest without incident.
• The same day, they also observed another known offender wanted by the SPD (Skokie Police Department) for motor vehicle theft and robbery investigations. A street stop was conducted, and the man was transported to SPD headquarters.

Bicycle Theft

There were five this week:

• On Oct. 21, unsecured in the 1700 block of Ridge.
• On Oct. 18, secured in the 700 block of Clark.
• On Oct. 18, tires removed from two bikes secured in the 1600 block of Benson.
• On Oct. 18, secured e-bike from a parking garage in the 1000 block of Grove.

Burglary

Garage Burglary

• An electric lawn mower was taken from an unsecured garage in the 1100 block of Grant on Oct. 20.
• An electric lawnmower, bagger, and sander were taken from an unsecured garage in the 2300 block of Hartrey between Oct. 14 and Oct. 15.

Motor Vehicle Burglary

An iPhone was taken from an unlocked 2023 Toyota in the 900 block of Grey on Oct. 19.

Residential Burglary

• Between Oct. 18 and Oct. 21, two bicycles were removed from the secured storage area of a building.
• Clothing and jewelry were reported missing from an apartment in the 1500 block of Pitner on Oct. 17.

Fleeing and Eluding

On Oct. 22, SOG detectives observed a Honda Accord committing several traffic violations. A stop was attempted, with emergency lights/siren activated, at the intersection of Payne and Ashland. The vehicle took off and was identified as belonging to a suspect with an extensive criminal history. A wanted bulletin has been disseminated for the vehicle.

Fire Investigation

A smoke alarm alerted a man’s roommate to a fire inside their apartment in the 2100 block of Ridge on Oct. 17. The roommate was able to extinguish the flames and contact first responders. An investigation is underway, but the fire is not considered suspicious. The resident of the room where the fire started suffered burns and was taken to Evanston Hospital.

Graffiti

Tagging was seen in six locations, primarily in Beat 73 during the deployment period. All were on public property – including light poles, control, traffic, and utility boxes.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Crooks attempted to steal a 2014 Hyundai from the 1800 block of Dodge on Oct. 18. The owner reported damage to the vehicle’s steering column.

Package Theft

The Crime Analyst reminds us that we are entering the Five Finger Discount Season when porch pirates are at their busiest. There were multiple incidents this past week:

• On Oct. 21 from a residence in the 900 block of Florence.
• On Oct. 20 from a bench at the YMCA.
• On Oct. 17 from a residence in the 800 block of Emerson.
• On Oct. 16 from a residence in the 1800 block of Monroe.
• On Oct. 16 from a residence in the 900 block of Madison.

Robbery

On Oct. 20, officers responded to the 1700 block of Church for the report of a robbery. The teenage victims came to Evanston to complete the online purchase of an electric scooter. When the juveniles arrived, they were met by three unknown male teens. One of the victims was slammed to the ground and robbed of $100. The offenders fled on foot. 

NEWS YOU CAN USE: The sidewalk in front of EPD Headquarters at 1454 Elmwood is the safest location for transactions like this one, and it’s open 24/7.

Weapons Related Offenses

Person with a Gun

• Units were dispatched to the 100 block of Ridge on Oct. 15 when a man reported being verbally threatened by an individual 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

• On Oct. 21, police were called to Sheridan Rd. and South Blvd. for calls of 5-10 shots fired. CPD was also called to the area and located shell casings near Ashland and Jonquil in Chicago.
• It’s likely that fireworks were mistaken for gunshots in the 900 block of Washington on Oct. 20.
• Officers collected evidence, including shell casings, loose rounds, and damage to three vehicles on Oct. 20 in the alley behind the 2100 block of Dewey.
• Police were unable to locate evidence in response to a call of shots fired in the 1400 block of Dempster on Oct. 17.
• Callers reported shots fired in the area of Foster and Brown on Oct. 17. Nothing of evidentiary value was located.
• On Oct. 16, 10-15 shots were reported in the 1900 block of Grey and the 1700 block of Hartrey. Officers called to the area heard several shots fired to the east but were unable to locate evidence such as bullets or shell casings.

Random Notes

• A Directed Area Patrol continues at Fountain Square, where disturbances and public drinking continue to generate complaints.
• Early voting began on Oct. 21 at the Lorraine Morton Civic Center.
• Gang conflicts are on the increase in Rogers Park with numerous shots fired calls, shootings, and one homicide last week.

Inquiring Minds: With Evanston surrounded by communities on three sides, what happens if a crime happens on the border (let's say someone is on the Evanston side and shoots someone on the Chicago side)? Who investigates and how do the jurisdictions work with each other?

Howard Street in the 1950s

Here is Executive Commander Glew: “If a crime happens along the border of two cities, like someone standing in Evanston and shooting someone in Chicago, both police departments would likely be involved. The Chicago Police Department (CPD) would take the lead in the investigation since the victim was in Chicago. However, the Evanston Police Department (EPD) would help out, especially if the shooter is still in Evanston or other parts of the incident occurred there.

In the above scenario, the following would be the general assignment of responsibilities:

• Lead Agency: CPD would generally take the lead since the victim was injured in their jurisdiction. They would handle most of the investigation related to the shooting and any prosecution efforts, as the crime resulted in harm in Chicago.
• Assisting Agency: EPD would assist with their local aspects of the case. They would likely handle securing the scene in Evanston, interviewing witnesses on their side, and detaining or arresting the suspect.
• Cross-Jurisdictional Coordination: Both departments would share evidence, reports, and witness statements. Given the cross-border nature of the incident, they may invoke mutual aid agreements or inter-agency protocols to ensure the investigation runs smoothly across both jurisdictions.

This also applies to officer-involved shootings, such as the 2021 Chicago-Evanston shooting spree. In this case, a man named Jason Nightengale committed multiple shootings across both Chicago and Evanston. He was shot and killed by Evanston police after firing on responding officers. Even though the Evanston officers fired the fatal shots from the north half of Howard Street (Evanston), Nightengale was on the Chicago side of Howard Street (Chicago) when he was struck, so Chicago Police’s Incident Response Team took charge of investigating the officers’ actions rather than the Illinois State Police, which would normally investigate shootings involving Evanston officers.”

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.