The Evanston Police Department told the City School Liaison Committee on Oct. 30 it has increased targeted traffic and pedestrian safety operations around schools and will continue to coordinate with District 65, District 202 and city transportation staff.

Commander Glue said the departments traffic enforcement units are "strategically deployed based on the information that we have" and that the focus is on safety — wrong-way driving, speeding, running stop signs, cell-phone use while driving, and blocking traffic — rather than on minor equipment violations.

"It's safety first, enforcement when necessary to elevate safety," Commander Glue said, describing targeted deployments during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

Officials sought to clarify public confusion after reports of federal agents in town: police emphasized these traffic-enforcement vehicles are standard marked traffic cruisers (Ford Police Explorers) and not the unmarked civilian-style vehicles that ICE operations have sometimes used.

Crossing guards and coverage: City and district officials asked residents to report crossing-guard absences to District 65 transportation (transportation@district65.net). District staff said they will track incidents, escalate patterns to the vendor who provides crossing guards, and can request police backfill for an acute safety absence when necessary.

Bike safety and planning: Council members and board members raised a recurring concern about a sharp 90-degree bike turn near the Ecology Center on the multi-use path to Haven School and visibility of signs on McCormick. The city said it has created a bike-plan committee and will invite district representatives to participate; City Engineer Laura Biggs said meeting times will be posted once scheduled.

Construction impacts: City construction updates noted most sidewalk repairs near schools are complete. An alley project near Haven continues through mid-November and Green Bay Road resurfacing and pavement marking are scheduled to finish by late November; staff asked residents to use caution around ongoing work.

Ending: Officials asked neighborhood residents and council members to continue reporting trouble spots so police and city staff can apply intelligence-led deployments and targeted enforcement.