By Haley Mitchell Godwin

Brantley Police Chief, Titus Averett, and Capt.  Mason Adcock, who serves as the assistant chief of the Luverne Police Department, offered several tips and  steps for all trick-or-treaters and the adults in charge of these ghosts and goblins to follow ahead of Monday’s Halloween festivities. 

Both law enforcement leaders stressed the importance of trick-or-treaters wearing costumes that ensure visibility. 

“I advise parents to put a lighting device on their children and/or some reflective tape somewhere on the costume,” Averett said. “The second, and maybe most important thing, is for parents to stress to their children why they must be extremely cautious of traffic, especially here on U.S. HWY 331 where we deal with a lot of vehicles coming through. 

“We will have a heavy presence that will include some help from the fire department. We are going to be patrolling the main trick-or-treating areas with blue lights on so we can get drivers to slow down, and so we can get the children and parents across the road safely.”

Adcock said visibility is key to a safe night of trick-or-treating. 

“It’s a good idea for kid’s costumes to have some reflective material on them,” Adcock said. “ A glow stick attached to their candy bag helps make the children more visible to motorists. Hats or masks that obstruct a child’s view need to be avoided, and parents need to talk to their children about watching intently for traffic.” 

Both officers stated there will be extra personnel out during trick-or-treating to help ensure everyone remains free from danger. Officers on foot patrol will be monitoring the trick-or-treaters in Luverne. 

“Each Halloween, we put out extra patrols during trick-or-treating and keep our eyes peeled for any potential problems,” Adcock said.  Trick or treating is a great opportunity for the entire community to have a little fun,and we want everyone to remain safe while doing so. If we can put a few safety tips to use, we can make sure there are no problems.”

Averett and Adcock encourage parents and trick-or-treaters to familiarize themselves with the safety tips below. 

• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Children and adults are reminded to put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk — don’t run — from house to house using sidewalks when possible
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home and treats are checked by parents.
• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review an acceptable route and agree on a specific time when children should return home. Instruct your children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and avoid trick-or-treating alone.
• Throw away any questionable candy or items. 
• Anyone that plans to be on the road during trick or treating should drive slowly, and don’t pass stopped vehicles. Always yield to pedestrians and watch for children darting into the street, walking on roadways, medians and curbs. Use your turn signals and if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your children, turn on your hazard lights.Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully. Avoid distractions. It only takes a second for a child to dart out in front of your vehicle, so drive with your cell phone turned off or set to do-not-disturb.

Trick-or-treating in Luverne will be on Monday from 5:30-7 p.m. Trick-or-treating in Brantley will be held Monday from 5:30.-7:30 p.m.

See the briefs section of the paper for more information about Halloween events in Crenshaw County.