Crime & Safety

Police Chief Offers Halloween Safety Guidelines, Curfew Will be Enforced for Minors

Chief Michael Colaneri shares Halloween safety tips children and their parents should keep in mind this weekend.

Costumes, trick-or-treating and other fun Halloween festivities may certainly be the focus for most youngsters this coming weekend however thereminds kids and their parents of various things they must keep in mind in order to stay safe this weekend.

A curfew of 9:30 p.m. for all anyone under the age of 18 will be strictly enforced both Sunday, Oct. 30,  (Mischief Night) and Halloween night, Monday, Oct. 31. Police Chief Michael Colaneri said in a statement that this curfew will be strictly enforced and extra patrols will be on duty.

There will be zero tolerance for anyone caught vandalizing or damaging property, Colaneri says.

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Colaneri recommends that trick-or-treating should be done while it’s still light outside although if children must go out while it’s dark he recommends that children wear costumes that are light in color, easy to walk in and for others to spot. He says kids should only go trick-or-treating in neighborhoods they are familiar with.  If children are not able to be accompanied by an adult they should travel in a large group and be sure to let their families know where exactly they are going, Colaneri suggested.

Children should take a flashlight along and also use retro-reflective tape on the costume to ensure that they can be seen others, he suggested. Colaneri reminds youngsters to not enter any home without their parents okay and not to eat their treats until they have been inspected by their parents. Treats that are not in a “factory sealed” container should not be consumed, Colaneri warns.

He also reminds neighborhood youngsters to cross at corners and not between parked cars or the middle of the block and recommends facing traffic while walking on a street that has no sidewalks so they can easily be spotted by drivers.   

Find out what's happening in Hasbrouck Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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