Content warning: This article contains mentions of child sexual assault. Illinois was set to be the first state to eliminate cash bail at the start of this year, but a December circuit court ruling halted the reform. The Pretrial Fairness Act would allow defendants to be released as they await trial, rather than having to.
When Juneitha Shambee applied to join Evanston’s new Citizen Police Review Commission in 2020, she wanted to address community members’ growing mistrust in police departments — an issue that sparked national protests after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police. “I initially believed that because we were creating this commission, people will.
May 6, 2021
Evanston Police Departmentâs aerial fleet is unassuming: a single four-rotor drone, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
While small, the drone makes up the entirety of an Unmanned Aerial System program, jointly operated by Evanstonâs police and fire departments. A year after purchase, the drone has not yet been employed in the field. As the departments work to get the program airborne, however, questions of legality remain around some of the droneâs intended uses.
The droneâs primary benefit is its ability to perform tasks such as water rescue and live fire analysis faster and more safely than a team of officers, according to police sergeant Scott Sophier. Sophier coordinates the UAS program, in addition to supervising EPDâs Community Policing Unit, a team of officers tasked with fostering trust between police and the community.