PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria has released a third update of his department’s anti-violence initiative.
Echevarria, in a news release, said Peoria police, along with the Illinois State Police Air Operations, conducted a third directed patrol of this year on Friday, Jan. 21. Echevarria says the directed patrols is just one component of the on-going initiative to combat violent crime.
The results of the enforcement detail included 14 arrests and the seizure of drugs and weapons along with vehicle impounds and traffic tickets.
The full news release outlining the results is as follows:
Directed Patrol Statistics for January 21, 2022:
• ARRESTS: 14
• WEAPONS SEIZED: 2 loaded handguns, spare loaded magazine
• DRUGS SEIZED: 33g Cocaine, 62g Cannabis, 14 Alprazolam pills, scale
• TRAFFIC TICKETS: 19
• VEHICLE IMPOUNDS: 4
• VEHICLE STOPS: 76
• SHOTSPOTTER RESPONSE: 4
• ABANDONED/NUSIANCE VEHICLES TOWED: 1
• PERSONNEL: 36 (SID, CID, Patrol Operations, NSU)
Items of Significance:
• RB Garrett & Kumpf, 11:43 am: Vehicle stop conducted and resulted in the seizure of
33g Cocaine, 46g Cannabis, and a scale. Occupant arrested for Unlawful Possession of a
Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver.
• 700 blk S Greenlawn, 2:50 pm: Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert indicating 2
rounds fired. Two individuals were located whom reported being the intended victims.
A detail officer observed a suspect run into a residence in the 700 blk of S Western. The
residence was surrounded, and a peaceful surrender was negotiated. As a result, two
juveniles and 1 adult were transported to the Peoria Police Department for interview
purposes. A 15-year-old male was arrested for the following: Aggravated Unlawful Use
of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon under 21, No FOID, and a Peoria County warrant
for traffic related offense(s). A second 15-year-old male was arrested for a Peoria
County Juvenile Detention Center warrant for burglary. Both males were transported to
the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center. The adult was arrested for a Peoria County
warrant – burglary.
• Wiswall & Western, 6:36 pm: Officers responded to a report of an aggravated vehicular
hijacking. Officers were advised the victim was sitting in the passenger seat of a running,
parked motor vehicle while the driver was inside of a nearby business. A female suspect
ran up to the driver’s side door, displayed a gun and entered the vehicle as the victim
quickly exited. A second suspect, male, also armed with a gun, entered the passenger side
and the vehicle fled the area. At approximately 9:22 pm, detail officers located the stolen
vehicle parked and unoccupied.
• Sterling & Reservoir, 7:00 pm: Detail officers received information indicating an
individual was selling heroin and had an outstanding felony drug warrant. The individual
was taken into custody for the following: Fulton County warrant – Unlawful Possession
of a Controlled Substance and a Peoria County warrant – Possession of Drug
Paraphernalia. No drugs were located.
• 1500 blk N Knoxville, 8:30 pm: Detail officers received information indicating an
individual was selling heroin and had an outstanding warrant. The individual was
arrested for the Tazewell County warrant – Possession of Methamphetamine. No drugs
were found.
No further information will be released regarding any incident involving juveniles.
Echevarria said, “Peoria, we will not accept violence in our city. Peoria Police made a promise to our community and it is one we intend to keep. We are committed to making the community safe from violent offenders. Our partnership with you – our citizens – is vitally important as we continue to roll
out innovative ways to stop those individuals wreaking havoc in our city and committing acts of
violence. We have only just begun The Anti-Violence Initiative 2022 and I will continue to use
every resource available to me in keeping our streets safe. I thank everyone involved in this
major effort and look forward to continued partnerships in making our community safe for
everyone.”
