Heights Police Chief Issues Halloween Safety Tips

With Halloween just a little more than a week away the Hasbrouck Heights Police Chief reminds all of important safety tips to keep in mind before youngsters set up to Trick-or-Treat or take part in Mischief Night.     

Once again a curfew of 9:30 p.m. is set for both Oct. 30 (Mischief Night) and Oct. 31 (Halloween) reports Police Chief Michael Colaneri. This is a strict curfew enforcement and extra patrols will be on duty. The chief says there will be zero tolerance for anyone caught vandalizing or damaging property.

Chief Colaneri advises trick-or-treating be done while it’s still light out and to do so in neighborhoods where one knows the people who live there. Kids should wear costumes that make it easy to walk, see and be seen, he says.

If trick-or-treating must be done at night he recommends costumes be light in color, use retro-reflective tape on the costume to make it more visible. He recommends kids carry a flashlight which will also increase visibility and recommends children wear make-up instead of masks.

Children should go in a group if an adult can not come along, says the chief. He reminds children to cross at corners and never in between parked vehicles or mid-block. If there are no sidewalks, children should always walk facing traffic.

The chief stresses the importance of making sure children know to never enter someone’s home without their parents consent   and should never eat treats before their parents check and okay them first. Treats not in a “factory sealed’ container should not be eaten.