Springfield Police urging safety ahead of Halloween trick-or-treating - Western Massachusetts News

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - The countdown is on for Halloween night. While fun is a priority for local families, safety should always come first.

Kids of all ages are ready to trick-or-treat, but as Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh told Western Mass News, parents should talk to their kids about avoiding danger.

“Even if people are going to be with them, when they’re going up the doors, they may spread out a little bit or if they’re teenagers going out by themselves…Never getting into someone’s car that they don’t know, don’t engage or have a conversation with strangers. If you have younger kids, make sure you’re kind of keeping an eye, they’re within arm’s reach when they go to a door to go trick-or-treating,” Walsh explained.

Another way to keep your kids safe is adding extra light to their Halloween costume.

“If they have any reflective tape, make sure they have flashlights, maybe some glow sticks around their wrist, just any additional lighting that a driver or someone can see is always extremely helpful,” Walsh added.

Also, keep an eye on their treats. Walsh said parents should go through their kids’ candy and throw away anything tampered with, unwrapped, or unusual and he pointed out people handing out drugs disguised as candy is actually rare.

“It’s more of an urban legend than anything else. It goes back to the old ‘razor blade in someone’s candy.’ I’ve never met someone who is willingly trying to give out edibles, you know, they cost a lot of money, to kids on Halloween, so these things just don’t happen,” Walsh noted.

Walsh advised drivers to stay off their phones and to give themselves extra time for travel.

“Trick-or-treating is usually pretty dark out and drivers on the road need to pay attention as well. They need to drive defensively, especially ‘cause there’s so many kids in costumes and gonna be all through the city…Take it easy, realize there’s gonna be a lot of kids out on the street, and just take it slow little bit,” Walsh explained.

Some Halloween events in Springfield include:

Saturday, October 29

• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - The Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street: An Out of this World Halloween (Free with museum admission)
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - The Zoo in Forest Park: Spooky Safari (Paid Event, Pre-Registration Required)
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Forest Park Civic Association: Garfield Street Triangle Neighborhood Halloween Party

Sunday, October 30

• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - The United Way of Pioneer Valley Boo Bash, Tower Square Park next to the TD Bank Building
• 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. - Springfield Together Halloween Trunk or Treat Drive-Thru, Elks Lodge at 440 Tiffany Street

Monday, October 31

• 3 p.m to 5 p.m. – Baystate General Pediatrics Trunk of Treat on Halloween, 140 High Street
• 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Dunbar Community Center Trunk or Treat, 33 Oak Street
• 7 p.m to 9 p.m. – Boys and Girls Club Haunted Halloween Event, 100 Acorn Street

Copyright 2022. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.

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