Halloween Safety

The BPD has some tips on how you can have a safe and fun Halloween. Below are some useful safety tips as well as a fun video series to get you ready for Halloween. Make sure you talk to your kids about how to be safe and follow these tips so your Halloween is a treat. Our thanks to Hollywood Horror Show for their help in these videos.  View these Halloween tips and more, by downloading the National Crime Prevention Council's kit. Teach your children about "Stranger Danger" and to never enter someone's house or car, to report any suspicious behavior of an older person, and you should escort young children yourself or take them in groups. You can consider organizing a big Halloween party at a school or community center in lieu of trick or treating. To keep children safe in the streets tell them to only walk on clearly marked sidewalks or paths and cross the street only in marked crossings and to look left and right. They should know not to take any shortcuts, especially through a backyard, alley, or playing field, be specific. Don't let children use earbuds or any other electronic device that may impede hearing.

You can arrange for a neighborhood watch group, PTA, or scout troop volunteers to patrol the area. Kids need to know not to eat their treats until they get home. (One way to stop them is to feed them a substantial meal before they go out.) Then check out all treats at home in a well-lit place. Try to get children out while it is still light out and provide them with flashlights. You can give them glowsticks to make them visible to motorists and give them a set time to be home. For their costumes, you should make sure it is fire-retardant and that it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. Apply reflective tape to the costume and only cardboard weapons, plastic or metal objects can cause harm to another child.