The NOPD has partnered with Walgreens and the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation again this year to make sure kids have a safe and eventful Halloween.
Dozens of local Walgreens stores donated candy to the New Orleans Police Department to allow neighborhood kids to interact with their local police officers tonight. NOPD Chief Harrison is encouraging community members, parents or guardians to stop by their local district station to allow kids to trick or treat with officers.
All candy donated will be packed in reflective trick-or-treat bags donated by the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation. The bags feature safe tips for kids while they trick or treating this Halloween night.
The NOPD encourages the following safety precautions while trick-or-treating:
- Only visit neighborhoods where there are a lot of people out and about and the streets are well lit
- Never enter a stranger’s home or accept rides from strangers
- Always walk on the sidewalks and never take shortcuts through backyards or alleys
- Walk, don’t run during trick-or-treating and look in both directions before crossing the street
- Costumes should be made of light-colored, fireproof material and masks should not be worn if they impair vision
- Wear proper fitting, comfortable costumes and shoes; wigs should be fireproof and should not restrict vision
- Props such as toy guns or swords should be made of pliable material and realistic replica firearms should never be used
- Keep pets inside or in another safe place on Halloween night
- At least one parent or guardian should accompany children and young adults as they go door-to-door, and the adult should carry a flashlight
- If adults are not accompanying the group, parents or guardians should make sure their children are with a group of friends; children should not stray from their group
- Parents or guardians should set a specific time limit for their children to be out on Halloween night, and they should plan the route their kids will take in the neighborhood
- Parents or guardians should check all candy to make sure they are in the original wrapping and have not been tampered with; children should never eat any treats until they have been examined
- Parents or guardians should make sure their child has a cell phone so they can be contacted while trick-or-treating