Keep Your Trick-or-Treater Safe With Tips From Local Auxiliary Police

With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across our area, the volunteers of Nassau County Auxiliary Police Unit 116 will be on extra community patrols this weekend.  We would also like to offer parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun. 

• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
• Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times.
• Set a time when kids should return home.
• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.
• Cross the street only at corners.
• Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.
• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible.
  (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)
• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.
• Carry a flashlight to light your way.
• Keep away from open fires and candles. 
  (Costumes can be extremely flammable.)
• Visit homes that have the porch light on.
• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's house.
• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.
• Be cautious of animals and strangers.
• Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating.
• And don't eat candy if the package is already opened.
• Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.
• Discuss with your children the difference between tricks and vandalism, as well as the the legal consequences.

For more safety tips, or information on your local Auxiliary Police program, call us at 516-538-5800, visit our websitewww.ncap116.org or email us at info@ncap116.org