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Dear Resident/Educator:
With the end of October quickly approaching, it is once again time to revisit our plans to ensure that Halloween 2014 is a safe and fun filled holiday for youngsters.
While the police want your children to have fun, we caution that their enjoyment should not come at the expense of damage to private or public property or in the harassment of residents or the terrorizing of younger citizens. To help ensure this, I am once again requesting the cooperation of parents, teachers, student leaders and all of our young people in helping to make this year’s celebration as safe and enjoyable as possible for all our citizens. To help accomplish this I ask that parents and teachers review and implement the Halloween safety tips accompanying this message and impress on youngsters the need to refrain from participating in conduct that could lead to someone being injured or property being damaged. Egg throwing continues to be the major cause of the property damage occurring on Halloween.
Such conduct results in the siding on homes and businesses being stained and windows being broken. It has also resulted in injuries to children who were struck in the face or head and has on several occasions caused the obstruction of drivers’ views when the windshields of their vehicles were struck by eggs.
It is important that parents make their children aware of the harm that can be caused by egg throwing and insist they not take part in this activity. I also call upon our young people to do their part in helping keep Halloween safe and fun by resisting the temptation to be mischievous through avoiding those individuals and groups intending to participate in unlawful conduct. The police department will continue its policy of having additional personnel assigned to patrol neighborhood streets this Halloween. Their job will be to help ensure the safety of your youngsters and to deter acts of vandalism. As in the past, special attention will be paid to those areas where problems previously have been experienced, to help deter recurrences. The police will aggressively enforce the law and youngsters discovered breaking it will find themselves facing some very unpleasant consequences. While we regret having to continue this draconian stance, we find ourselves in the position of having no other way to ensure the safety of our streets and neighborhoods. Keeping Halloween a safe and happy occasion is our collective responsibility. The police department is determined to do its part and we hope we can rely on your cooperation. Very truly yours, Chris McNerney Police Chief
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