Thursday, Aug 4, 2022 | View in browser
Staffing Shortages Lead to Officer Reassignments, Service Reductions
 EVANSTON,IL - On August 3, 2022, the Evanston Police Department reassigned five members, four officers and a sergeant, of the Community Policing Unit to patrol for what is anticipated to be a minimum 60 day temporary duty assignment. This drastic step is necessary due to the continued staffing shortages faced by the Department.
The reduction in Community Policing Unit will impact the Department’s ability to service the needs of the Community along with Councilmembers and the requests for police services brought to them by their constituents. Three officers will remain in the Community Policing Unit. These officers will focus on continuing outreach with the Hispanic Community and addressing downtown and Main Street panhandling and quality of life issues. Furthermore, Community Policing Unit officers assigned to patrol will continue to maintain their community contacts while on-duty.
As a result of these reassignments and service reductions, the Department's community engagement programs, including the Citizen's Police Academy, will be postponed. Community engagement and education content posted on the Department's social media platforms will decrease.
The reduction in the Community Policing Unit comes after a previous reduction in Detective Bureau coverage and service. Previously, the Detective Bureau provided coverage from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. every day of the year. Due to the coverage reduction, the Detective Bureau coverage is now 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday – Friday with a on-call schedule for weekends.
As part of service reductions the Detective Bureau is no longer routinely assigning detectives to investigate the following crimes:
- Misdemeanor thefts and retail thefts where the suspect is not identifiable.
- Misdemeanor criminal damage to property where the suspect is not identifiable.
- Trespassing and burglaries, including vehicle, garage, residential, and commercial, where no comparable physical evidence is recovered and the suspect is not identifiable.
- Stolen vehicles where no comparable physical evidence is recovered and the suspect is not identifiable.
- Financial crimes where the victim has not incurred a monetary loss and the suspect is not identifiable.
- Crimes with victims that decline forensic services.
- Crimes with victims who do not wish to sign a criminal complaint.
The staffing shortage presently stands at 26 sworn vacancies and six civilian vacancies. In addition to these vacancies, there are presently seven sworn members and two civilian members that are not available for full duty assignments. The overtime and forcebacks created by the sustained shortage has had a negative impact on the health and well-being of Evanston Department personnel, making these reassignments and service reductions necessary.
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Media Relations: Commander Ryan Glew
rglew@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-866-5026
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