Provided by the Evanston Police Department
On August 3, 2022, the Evanston Police Department reassigned five members, four officers and one sergeant, from the Community Policing Unit to patrol for what is expected to be a minimum temporary assignment of 60 days. This drastic step is necessary due to the continuous shortage of personnel that the Department is suffering from.
The reduction of the Community Policing Unit will affect the Department’s ability to serve the needs of the Community along with Council members and the requests for police services presented to them by their constituents. Three officers will remain in the Community Police Unit. These officers will focus on continuing outreach with the Hispanic community and addressing downtown and Main Street quality of life and quality of life issues. In addition, Community Policing Unit officers assigned to patrol will continue to maintain contact with the community while on duty.
As a result of these reassignments and service reductions, the Department’s community engagement programs, including the Citizens Police Academy, will be postponed. Community engagement and educational content posted on the Department’s social media platforms will decrease.
The reduction of the Community Policing Unit comes after a previous reduction in the coverage and service of the Detective Bureau. Previously, the Detective Bureau provided coverage from 7am to 11.30pm every day of the year.
Due to the reduction in coverage, Detective Bureau coverage is now 7:00am to 11:30pm Monday through Friday with on-call hours on weekends.
As part of the service reductions, the Detective Bureau is no longer assigning detectives to investigate the following crimes:
Felony theft and retail theft where the suspect is not identifiable.Criminal offense property damage where the suspect is not identifiable.Break-ins and burglaries, including vehicles, garages, residential and commercial, where comparable physical evidence is not recovered and the suspect is not identifiable.Stolen vehicles where comparable physical evidence is not recovered i the suspect is not identifiable.Financial crimes in which the victim has not incurred monetary losses i the suspect is not identifiable.Offenses with victims who decline forensic services.Offenses with victims who do not want to sign a criminal complaint.
The staff shortage currently stands at 26 sworn vacancies and six civilian vacancies. In addition to these vacancies, there are currently seven sworn members and two civilians who are not available for full duty. Overtime and backlogs created by sustained shortages have had a negative impact on the health and well-being of Evanston Department staff, making these reassignments and service reductions necessary.
