Evanston, Chicago Police Stage Joint Roll Call Along Border
(CBS) -- Police Tuesday staged a show of force and cooperation on the city's northern border.
Officers from Evanston and Chicago descended on the Popeye's parking lot at Howard Street and Damen Avenue in squad cars and SUVs, and on bicycles and Segways. But there was no robbery or shooting. It was a joint roll call to remind officers from both departments and the public that crime does not respect municipal boundaries.
Newly-appointed Rogers Park District commander Roberto Nieves said the cooperation is real, and ongoing.
"We remain in constant contact," he said. "On a daily basis we share intelligence and we both have same issues that and concerns that we try to tackle together."
Nieves says Evanstonians regularly attend 24th District community policing meetings on beats that border Evanston.
Evanston Police Cmdr. Joe Dugan said much effort has been expended revitalizing Howard Street as a restaurant and commercial corridor, and said the joint policing effort is fundamental to the strategy.
"It's improved," he said. "There are people up and down the street. It's very active, very busy.
Dugan said things are "looking up in the area." Nieves said a gang problem still exists, but said it is not as serious as it was when the joint roll calls began several years back.