Officials offer tips for safe Halloween trick-or-treating
Multiple Hudson Valley communities also have curfews in place for kids, including Yonkers, Middletown, Kingston and Fishkill.
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Halloween is approaching, and officials across the Hudson Valley are reminding residents to stay safe while trick-or-treating.
"We're mindful of who is around and any vans or cars that are not from the neighborhood,” says Kevelyn Guzman, a Yonkers resident and parent.
One of the ways officials are prioritizing safety in Yonkers is by making sure the public has access to a sex offender database.
"We want to make sure that you know who's house you're walking up to,” says Detective Sgt. Frank DiDomizio, of the Yonkers Police Department.
People can find the database on the Yonkers Police Department website.
Across Westchester County, local sex offenders will once again be attending an anti-sexual abuse victim impact program designed to keep them off the streets. The program is run by the Westchester County Department of Probation. Over 100 registered and non-registered sex offenders on probation in the county are required to attend the program at the Westchester County Courthouse on Oct. 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Multiple Hudson Valley communities also have curfews in place for kids, including Yonkers, Middletown, Kingston and Fishkill.
In Yonkers, kids ages 11 and younger must be home by 10 p.m. Kids ages 12 to 13 by 10:30 p.m. and ages 14 to 16, by 11 p.m.
The only exceptions are if they are with a parent or guardian or coming home from work or an after-school or volunteer event.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said the curfew has been essential in keeping kids safe on Halloween.
“We don’t mind our kids going out and having a good time, but we certainly want to make sure keep the mischief down as much as we can,” says Spano.
Another concern on the minds of some parents is Halloween candy. Officials recommend checking candy wrappers before kids start eating. Signs of tampered candy include broken seals or unusual packaging.
"I just make sure that the candies haven't been tampered with or there aren't any CBD edibles or something like that,” says Guzman.
Officials are also encouraging parents to put some reflective tape on their child’s costume so it’s easier to be seen in the dark. Some families News 12 talked to said they carry glow sticks and flashlights on Halloween.
The City of Yonkers also issued other safety tips for Halloween:
Parents
Do not leave children unattended.
Know the route your child will travel and give him or her curfew.
Be sure children can see through their masks. Costumes should be easy to see, either made from light colors or marked for nighttime with reflective tape.
Dispose of unwrapped candy and only keep factory-wrapped treats.
To help plan a safe route, visit the sex offender registry
Children
Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Try to walk in groups.
Don't eat anything from a trick-or-treat bag before your parents have looked at it first.
Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult.
Walk on sidewalks when possible and face traffic to stay safe.
Stay away from dark streets and buildings
and
only visit well-lit homes.
Residents
Drive slowly and be alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited about Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
Turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from great distances.
Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, so please be aware during this time.
