Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Halloween is usually a busy night for everyone, young and old, but safety should be a top priority. Thousands of costumed children will take to Mt. Juliet streets looking for treats, and parents should ensure their little ones are safe by following simple safety precautions. The night is usually busier for Mt. Juliet Police officers due to the increased activity in the community, and the department is making a safety a top priority by increasing patrol staff levels for the evening. Residents can help police by quickly reporting any unsafe mischief or driving behavior to police dispatch. In addition, the community can follow along on a virtual ride along with @MtJulietPolice during their Halloween patrols via social media on Twitter. The department will be tweeting live from the beat in their first tweet-along from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Halloween night.
Trick-or-treating will be observed in Mt. Juliet on Thursday, October 31st. The Mt. Juliet Police Department recommends trick-or-treating to start at 5:00 p.m. and to stop by 9:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.
“The men and women of the Mt. Juliet Police Department always strive to provide our residents and children of Mt. Juliet with the safest possible environment to celebrate the time-honored tradition of trick-or-treating,” stated Police Chief James Hambrick. “Our officers will also be equipped with candy for the evening to pass out to children during the festivities.”
Following simple safety precautions will ensure little ghosts and goblins are safe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are four times more likely to be in a fatal pedestrian accident on Halloween than any other night of the year. There are several reasons why children are more likely to be hurt in pedestrian accidents, which include:
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They often choose to take the shortest route, which may mean darting out between parked cars rather than take the safer route of crossing at corners.
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They’re poor at evaluating potential traffic threats.
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They’re more likely to disregard their peripheral vision and are less attentive of their street surroundings.
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They have a tendency to believe they’re indestructible and are more likely to take risks.
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They need to be told that some people driving cars will not slow down for them.
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They can’t cross streets as rapidly as adults.
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They may be distracted by other children’s costumes, behaviors, and home decorations.
In addition, to Mt. Juliet Police Department’s proactive patrols in the neighborhoods, they will also be out in force monitoring sex offenders on Halloween. Under Tennessee law, any sex offender on parole or probation may not participate in any Halloween activity involving children. This would include leaving a porch light on, answering the door, or distributing candy. There are currently 8 registered sex offender living in the city limits of Mt. Juliet, and parents may access the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s website at http://www.tbi.tn.gov/ .
From everyone at Mt. Juliet Police, we wish you a safe Halloween. The department can be contacted at (615) 754-2550 (non-emergency) or 911 (emergency) to report any problems, observations, or safety concerns.
A list of Halloween Health and Safety Tips can be viewed here: http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
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