October 2007 Newsletter
Halloween Fun vs. Not Fun
Fun is defined as “Sport, amusement, or merriment”. We all know fun when we see it. Halloween is by its nature one of the “funnest” holidays that we have. What could be more fun for kids or adults than costumes, tricks and treats? I believe that I can remember each and every Halloween growing up, even the night I fell off the bridge into the full irrigation ditch dressed as Casper the friendly ghost.
If done safely and with good intentions Halloween is a blast. Halloween however can be very “not fun”. We also all know un-fun when we see it. This usually happens when people aren’t being safe, or when kids (of any age) cause injury or real fear to smaller kids or commit intentional damage to property. Now I know that we don’t have any of those kids in our community, they’re only in other towns. But just in case you realize that I’m being sarcastic, we should protect our belongings and children from the few rogues.
Some easy tips to protect your kids are: Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them. The best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If you can't take them, see if another parent or a teen aged sibling can go along. Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, trunk-or-treat, school or mall gatherings. Make sure you set a time that they should be home . Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time. Talk to them about stranger danger.
Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house may seem like fun but they need to know the other side of the coin as well, clean up and damages can ruin Halloween. If they are caught vandalizing, they’ll also get arrested and You may be liable for the damages that they cause. Even if only you catch them, make them clean up the mess they've made.
To protect your property you can use good lighting. If you’re one of these weird people (kidding) who set up elaborate displays in your yard. Plan on being there all evening. If you leave it alone, it’s pretty much a given that it will get damaged. Park your cars off the street. Don’t use heavy display items that can be thrown and cause damage. Ever seen what a 10 pound pumpkin thrown from a moving car will do to the side of a brand new truck? It’s not pretty.
As always, remember that many Halloween parties involve alcohol. There is no other night in the year when more of our kids are running around on the streets. Use common sense, both as a party goer and as a parent. There will be absolutely no tolerance or breaks for alcohol violators endangering our kids.
Captain Cody Cullimore
Pleasant Grove/Lindon Police
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