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PEEKSKILL, N.Y. Halloween in the city can be fun for the whole family, as long as parents concentrate on safety.
Peekskill Police Lieutenant Eric Johansen gave several tips to have a happy and safe Halloween. Younger children should be accompanied by parents while trick or treating, said Johansen, and should stay on the sidewalk and only cross roads where there is a crosswalk.
Twelve or 13 years old is old enough to go around the neighborhood, but keep in mind that there is a lot of people who go out on Halloween for reasons other than trick or treating, Johansen said. I personally restrict my child to neighborhoods where we know people and we dont go to strange neighborhoods.
Avoid costumes with dark colors or make sure they are well lit enough to be seen by cars. Johansen recommends buying children light sticks or flashlights. Masks that restrict the vision of the wearer should also be avoided, he said.
There is no curfew for Halloween in Peekskill, but Johansen said patrols shifts are increased that day and that officers are experienced in noticing things that are out of the ordinary. When we see things that are out of place or look suspicious were going to challenge the people in those situations and well be very proactive, Johansen said. The rules still apply and will be aggressively enforced.
All candy should be physically inspected by parents after their children are done trick or treating and candy that is not sealed should be discarded, he said. Even fresh baked goods should be discarded unless the person offering them is known to parents.
Johansen recommended trick or treaters finish their rounds before 8:30 p.m. People dont want to be bothered at night and they dont want people banging on their door at all hours of the night for candy, Johansen said. When youre out past eight or 8:30 p.m., thats when you run into trouble.
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