Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Police officers will be out in force and patrolling through neighborhoods on Halloween night as thousands of costumed children take to Mt. Juliet streets looking for treats. While on patrol, officers will be equipped with reflective stickers and glow bracelets for children in an effort to enhance their visibility.
Trick-or-treating will be observed in Mt. Juliet on Saturday, October 31, 2015. The Mt. Juliet Police Department recommends trick-or-treating to start at 5:00 p.m. and to stop by 9:00 p.m.
During the witching hours, patrol staff levels and presence in neighborhoods will be increased. However, police need the help of residents so Mt. Juliet’s streets can be as safe as possible. Any unsafe mischief or driving behavior should be reported to the police department immediately so it can be stopped. In addition, police will be monitoring parking on city streets. Visitors and residents should be mindful of where they park so the roadway is not blocked.
Parents should be prepared, and the safety of their little ones should be their top priority, which can be achieved by following simple safety precautions. According to the Safe Kids Worldwide, on average, children are twice as likely to be in a fatal pedestrian accident on Halloween than any other day of the year. There are several reasons why children are more likely to be hurt in pedestrian accidents, which include:
- 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.
- They’re poor at evaluating potential traffic threats.
- They’re more likely to disregard their peripheral vision and are less attentive of their street surroundings.
- They have a tendency to believe they’re indestructible and are more likely to take risks.
- They need to be told that some people driving cars will not slow down for them.
- They can’t cross streets as rapidly as adults.
- 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, officers will also be out 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 11 registered sex offenders 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. Mt. Juliet Police Headquarters, located at 1019 Charlie Daniels Parkway, will also be open for trick-or-treating on Halloween from 5:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m. 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.safekids.org/halloween .
Example of Reflective Stickers
Example of Glow Bracelets
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