It’s Halloween night and police are encouraging parents to ensure their little ghosts, ghouls, witches and pumpkins are supervised by adults if they’re out trick or treating.
Acting Police Commissioner Viv Rickard, Police National Headquarters, said Halloween activities can be a fun time for children to dress up, go trick or treating for lollies with neighbours or attend organised local community events with their families.
The emphasis should be on safety and fun, Acting Commissioner Rickard says.
He urged trick and treaters, especially their adult supervisors, to respect others when they are out and about tonight.
“Halloween is mostly a time for fun for the young, but not everyone, young or old, is able to participate or appreciates repeated knocks on the door at night,” he says. “All we ask is that trick and treaters are respectful and use their common sense.”
This includes:
• Staying in areas that are well lit and only going where children know the residents
• Always go trick or treating with an adult
• Stay together with your friends
• If you see a sign on the door that says ‘no trick or treat here’ then respect the householder’s decision
• Understand that Halloween is not an excuse to commit a crime
• Householders don’t have to open the door or respond to knocks from Halloween visitors
• Parents or caregivers should accompany children and not let them go off with people they do not know
• Attend one of the many local community events as an alternative option.
“If there problems or incidents outside homes, especially late in the evening, then you can ring police for advice,” he says. “We don’t expect it to be a late night for most young witches and wizards. Parents are pretty good at weaving their own spell of magic to get them off to bed at a reasonable hour.”
You can download special Halloween safety posters, including a ‘Trick or Treaters Welcome’ or “No Trick or Treaters Please’ from the police website.
The links are:
Poster - trick or treaters welcome (PDF)
Poster - no trick or treaters (PDF)
Ends
Kaye Calder
Police Public Affairs
Tel 04 460 2986