Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026.
Evanston, Illinois, in Cook County, has about 76,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Evanston depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Illinois Freedom of Information Act requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Evanston public records, Cook County police reports, Evanston arrest records, Evanston warrants, Evanston inmate search, Evanston criminal records, Illinois arrest records and Illinois inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Evanston
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Evanston that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Evanston Police Department); outside it, the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's agency list also places 14 campus police departments and 15 other agencies in Cook County, each with a records office of its own.
The Elgin Police Department, the Buffalo Grove Police Department, the Deerfield Police Department and eight more are each listed by the FBI across several counties including Cook County, so their arrests are not broken out for Cook County here.
Reports from the Evanston Police
For Evanston, SearchSystems opened and checked the Evanston police records page at cityofevanston.org/departments/police/reports/police_reports.php (page title: City of Evanston), phone 847-866-5000, Monday - Friday from 8:45 am to 4:15 pm, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 25, 2026.
The agency that reports for Evanston had 87 violent and 1,802 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 857 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Cook County Sheriff's Office
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 876 violent and 1,399 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 3,038 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its custody page, at cookcountyil.gov/service/locate-inmate (page title: Locate an Inmate), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Illinois Freedom of Information Act Requires
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act sets the rules: an answer within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension, at a charge of copying only after the first 50 pages, from the agency that holds the report.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the State's Attorney, (312) 603-1880, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Evanston?
From the agency that took it. The Evanston police records page is at cityofevanston.org, phone 847-866-5000; the sheriff's reports come from the Cook County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Evanston have to answer?
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension. It may charge copying only after the first 50 pages.
How do I get a report from the Cook County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act the answer is due within 5 business days, with one 5-day extension.
Is this the official Evanston website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.