APD Offers Halloween Safety Tips For Children, Adults Announces No Refusal Initiative

The Austin Police Department encourages safety and supervision for children throughout the year, especially on Halloween. It is important for parents to follow a few safety precautions…

The Austin Police Department (APD) encourages safety and supervision for children throughout the year, especially on Halloween. It is important for parents to follow a few safety precautions as children take to neighborhood streets for traditional trick-or-treating.

APD will be conducting a No Refusal Initiative on Halloween night (Wednesday, October 31, 2018). This initiative will be operational from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Here are APD’s Halloween Safety Tips

• Know your trick-or-treater’s route
• Take a flashlight
• Be sure costumes, shoes, and treat bags are safe
• Remind children not to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Set rules about not eating treats until your children are home. Inspect all treats before allowing kids to eat them.
• Candy that has been opened should be thrown away. Any homemade treats or fruit should be inspected closely and discretion used as to whether to consume.
• Remember drivers have a hard time seeing people, especially at dusk
• Never cross the street from between parked cars
• Watch open flames from jack-o-lanterns as they present a fire hazard for costumes and long wigs. Review the “stop, drop and roll” procedure in case your costume catches on fire.
• Only visit well-lit houses. Do not stop at dark houses.
• Don’t enter any homes unless you know the people
• Carry a spare Halloween bag — in case it breaks or your original one is filled
• Make sure fake knives, swords, and guns are made from cardboard or other flexible materials to avoid accidental injury or having them mistaken for the real thing
• Don’t cut across yards. Use sidewalks and stay out of back yards.
• Follow traffic signals and do not jaywalk or cross at mid-block
• Always watch for cars backing up or turning
• Never accept rides from strangers
• Respect other people and their property
• Be polite and say “thank you”

It is also important to ensure that your home is safe and accessible to trick-or-treaters. There are some very simple steps to make the evening safe for everyone.

• Turn on your porch light
• Move lit jack-o-lanterns to a safe area for fire safety. Kids often trick-or-treat in groups and the area may get congested.
• Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard
• Drive slowly all evening.  You never know what little “creature” may suddenly cross your path.
• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to the police

For adults celebrating Halloween, there are some things to consider when wearing that “perfect” costume.

• Make sure any accessories, such as fake guns, knives, and other potentially dangerous items are not mistaken for the real thing
• Fire safety and visibility are important for adult costumes. Apply the same standards to adult costumes as you do to your children’s.
• Remember adults that are dressed up can be scary to young children

No Refusal Initiative on Halloween night

The Austin Police Department (APD) will be conducting a No Refusal Initiative on Halloween night (Wednesday, October 31, 2018). This initiative will be operational from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

This initiative is an effort to enforce DWI laws, keep the public safe by encouraging drivers to make responsible decisions, and to apply for blood search warrants on suspects who refuse to provide a breath or blood specimen as required by law.