Stewart Appointed Evanston Police Chief
- Evanston City Manager Luke Stowe today announced the appointment of Schenita Stewart as Evanston’s next police chief. Stewart will begin her new role on Monday, October 10.

Stewart, who grew up in Evanston and graduated from Evanston Township High School, currently serves as the deputy chief of police for the East Dundee Police Department. She brings 23 years of law enforcement experience to Evanston, including 15 years in police leadership roles. Throughout her career, Stewart has focused on ensuring positive community partnerships, implementing best practices and policies, and budget development and management.

“Chief Stewart is an outstanding leader with distinguished service and a deep knowledge of the Evanston community,” said Stowe. “She is uniquely qualified to lead our Police Department while strengthening community relationships. I look forward to working with Chief Stewart in her new role.”

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to serve the community that raised and supported me my entire life,” said Stewart. “This great city of Evanston is the lighthouse community that my great grandparents fled to from Abbeville, SC for a better life. I think that if they were alive they would be proud.”

Stewart began her law enforcement career in 1998 as a probation officer with the Cook County Adult Probation Department. She became a patrol officer with the Lincolnwood Police Department in 1999, and rose through the ranks to become deputy chief of the department in 2018. Stewart joined the Village of East Dundee as its deputy chief of police in January 2021. Stewart served on the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) from 2008 to 2018, including four years as team leader, and was twice honored as the Village of Lincolnwood's “Police Officer of the Year,” earning the recognition in 2000 and 2005.

Stewart is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP), where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee. She is also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and Kane County Chiefs of Police Association (KCCOPA).

Stewart holds a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University. She is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command and Executive Management Program.

In her free time, Stewart volunteers as a mentor in The Charmm’d Foundation’s Leadership Academy, helping others reach their full potential. Understanding the importance of strong community relationships, she also teaches community relations to police recruits at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA).

Stowe announced Stewart's appointment following a six-month candidate recruitment process, which included a community survey on the characteristics desired in the City's police chief, a public candidate forum broadcast online and on City Channel 16, and panel interviews with members of the Evanston Police Department, City management, community members and elected officials.

Interim Police Chief Richard Eddington will continue to serve the Evanston Police Department until Stewart begins her new role on October 10.

For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311 or simply dial 311 in Evanston.