The Evanston Police Department has released the city's Part I crime statistics for 2016. Part I crime statistics are the focus of public attention when measuring safety within a community. Part I crimes include murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault/battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. Overall, Part I crimes were down 7.2 percent, which equated to 141 fewer victims in 2016 compared with 2015. In 2015, overall Part I crimes were down 5.1 percent compared with 2014.  

Theft continues to be the dominant factor amid Part I crimes, accounting for a total of 1,269 of the 1,811 Part I crimes reported in 2016. Reports of theft were down 11.9 percent in 2016, indicating that residents are taking more preventative measures to secure valuables. In March of 2016, members of the department's problem solving team began promoting the C.L.E.A.R. program to reduce theft incidents. C.L.E.A.R. is an acronym that stands for:  

• Call the Police
• Lock doors and windows
• Encourage neighbors to be aware
• Avoid leaving valuables visible
• Record serial numbers

Incidents of violent crimes are the most concerning issue for residents, visitors and other stakeholders in the community. Evanston saw a reduction in violent crime numbers in the categories of murder and a 25.5 percent decrease in robberies. There was an increase of 9.1 percent in the category of aggravated assault/battery.

Assigning personnel to the proper areas for overall crime reduction is a dynamic process. Weekly deployment meetings assess the reported crime and intelligence received that week, thereby allowing for the identification of extra patrol locations and patterns that can be acted on by specialty units. The Evanston Police Department continually critiques its strategies as it strives to reduce Evanston Part I crimes each year, thereby enhancing the quality of life and attaining the goal of making Evanston the "Most Livable City in America."