Halloween Trick or Treat?

Halloween Safety Advice

I recently received an email from the West Yorkshire Neighbourhood Police Team, offering advice on how to keep safe this Halloween. I thought it would be useful to share this information with you.

Your local Neighbourhood Policing Team would like everyone to enjoy the festivities over Halloween, but we need to be considerate to those in the community who may be vulnerable and wish to avoid trick or treaters.

We have therefore put together some advice and created a poster which can be printed, that you can display or pass to an elderly or vulnerable relative. Download the poster here. 

Parents should take responsibility for their children’s behaviour – know where they are at all times, and follow a few key dos and don’ts.

Do:

• Only trick or treat in your own neighbourhood unless you are with an adult
• Stay in well lit areas where there are plenty of houses
• Make sure an adult knows the area you plan to visit and what time you’ll be back
• Look out for ‘no callers please’ posters and respect your neighbours
• Keep to pavements and trick or treat on one side of the street before crossing safely to the other side – don’t criss-cross
• Wait to eat any treats until you get home so that an adult can check them

Don’t:

• Don’t cut through back alleys, ginnels or fields, and don’t trick or treat too far from home
• Don’t go alone – take an adult with you or stay in a group

If you do decide to go trick or treating, please respect the wishes of householders who do not wish to take part, and please do not use the season as an excuse for anti-social or intimidating behaviour.

Even if you are not involved in trick or treating, bear in mind the following:

• Not everyone appreciates trick or treaters. To prevent unwanted ghosts and ghouls, put a ‘no callers’ note on your front door.
• If you are prepared to receive the local monsters, switch on your outside light and remove any trip hazards. If you set lanterns outside your front door with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that costumes won’t accidentally be set on fire.
• If you are driving on the evening of the 31st, remember that excited children don’t always do as they are expected, so slow down in residential areas and take extra care.
• If things get out of hand, you feel intimidated, or someone’s safety is at risk, contact West Yorkshire Police.

If you need to contact your local policing team for any reason, please use shipley@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk  Crime reports can be reported directly via THIS link. You can also visit your Neighbourhood Policing Team website, where you can find local policing news, as well as details of your local officers and other means of getting in touch HERE

Have a safe and fun Halloween

From the Bingley Hub team