Police Chief: Stop and Frisk ‘Has Already Resulted in Some Benefits’

Police Chief Richard Eddington says the department's recently expanded stop and frisk policy has “already resulted in some benefits” for the community.

Speaking before the city council on Monday, Eddington outlined several new initiatives the police department has started this year, including a redeployment of officers to certain areas of northwest Evanston and an expansion of the department’s victim services program. 

Eddington first announced that police would be increasing its use of stop-and-frisk at a fifth ward meeting this May, as a way to target gun violence in the community. The police tactic involves stopping anyone whom police reasonably suspect may be committing a crime and patting down his or her clothing. While Eddington described the move as “a significant policy departure” at Monday night’s council meeting, he said he believed it was having a positive effect so far.

The Evanston Police Department’s N.E.T. Unit, which focuses on drug and gang activity, has had several discussions with the individuals that it targets in the community, according to Eddington. 

“Their response was, ‘We know we’re going to get searched all the time,’” he said. “If they know they’re at risk for carrying illegal guns, they won’t carry them. That should drive down the number of shootings.”

A gun buyback co-sponsored by the city and several community groups on Saturday, June 29, is also designed to help get guns off the street, Eddington said—although he cautioned that the buyback is most likely to attract people who own guns legally, not criminals.

“I’m enough of a realist to know that there’s not going to be ne’er-do-wells, gangbangers standing in line for their $100,” Eddington said. “What we’re doing is attempting to subtract those loose firearms from the social equation.”

Participants may turn in up to two guns and will receive $100 in cash for each firearm from 12 to 4 p.m. at Pope John XXIII School (St. Nicholas Church), 1120 Washington St. in Evanston. The program is amnesty-based, meaning there will be no police enforcement action taken as a result of someone turning in a weapon. 

Eddington said the police department had also reorganized and refocused personnel at the direction of the city manager, adding two new supervising officers and two new patrol officers to its problem solving team. The division patrols neighborhoods on foot and on bike, getting to know local residents and business-owners and attending neighborhood meetings and block clubs. The new officers will focus their efforts in problem solving beat number 602, an area surrounding the intersection of Dodge and Emerson.

Eddington also said the police department would loosen up the boundaries of beats, allowing officers to be fluid about responding to residents and to problems. 

“As we view neighborhoods—instead of the strict boundaries that we have been guided by—that will enable the services to be delivered in a wider area,” he said. “With additional manpower, that will be doable.”

The police department has also expanded its victim services division to encompass criminal events outside of the city that have a direct impact on the community, according to Eddington. He said the department is hiring a new victim advocate who will work directly with the Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.). 

Police officers will also be meeting with young community members at Y.O.U. to explain how to deal with police actions if they feel inappropriately treated during stop and frisk activity, Eddington said.

Meanwhile, the police department will also be reaching out to the community online by increasing its social media presence on Facebook and Twitter. Watching the Boston Police department tweet public safety messages during the bombings this April, Eddington said he “had an epiphany,” noticing how quickly and efficiently the Boston Police could communicate with thousands of people.

He vowed that Evanston would be on the cutting edge or close to the cutting-edge of using that technology in a mid-sized city. 

Residents can follow the police department on Facebook or on Twitter at @EvanstonPD.