As children and parents prepare for trick-or-treating Friday night, local law enforcement agencies offer tips for having a fun, safe Halloween.
Trick-or-treating is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes. Law enforcement agencies will increase patrols during that time.
“I put out 100 police officers. Everybody comes out,” Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter said. “They put on their emergency lights the whole time and ride through neighborhoods.”
Larpenter said motorists shouldn’t drive more than 5 mph when trick-or-treaters are out, and pedestrians should wear light or reflective clothing.
“We hope everyone has a good Halloween,” he said. “We want all the little munchkins to enjoy trick-or-treating and get their candy. The main thing we want is to keep people safe.”
Both parishes’ sheriff’s offices also contact registered sex offenders.
“We notify them ahead of time that they’re not to give out any candy,” Larpenter said.
Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis offered additional tips for trick-or-treating, including wearing costumes short enough to prevent tripping and making sure masks don’t inhibit vision. Motorists should watch for children who may run into traffic, and pedestrians shouldn’t cross between parked cars, he said.
Residents should trick-or-treat during daylight, stay in the neighborhood and only visit homes they know, Duplantis said. Don’t enter fenced yards or visit unlit houses, he said.
Duplantis said people should only hand out and take wrapped candy. For accessories such as swords, use foam rubber instead of hard plastic or wood, he said.
Thibodaux Police Chief Scott Silverii suggested that people set a curfew for their children and warn them not to leave with strangers. He said parents or other responsible adults should accompany young children, and trick-or-treaters should stay in populated areas.
Silverii said pedestrians should look both ways, only cross at corners or crosswalks and carry glow sticks or flashlights.
He said parents should check all candy their children get. Having children eat before trick-or-treating can help prevent them from eating the candy before they get home, he said.
Lafourche sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne said a child’s name, address and phone number should be included inside his or her costume or on a bracelet.
“On a night like this, you’ll have people come from different neighborhoods,” he said. “A child could wander off, so having the child’s information would make it easy to make contact with the parent.”
Matherne said costumes should be flame resistant.
This year, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office will start patrolling at 5:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m.
“Trick-or-treating is not something we usually have an issue with,” Matherne said. “It’s very rare that we’ll see a child walking without an adult. It generally makes for a safe evening.”
Staff Writer Bridget Mire can be reached at 448-7639 or bridget.mire@dailycomet.com.