DATE: Sunday, October 26, 1997              TAG: 9710240163

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

SAFE TRICK-OR-TREATING: HEED SPECIAL LAWS AND TIPS

Halloween can be a very festive and fun time with children dressed in costumes, making door-to-door rounds throughout the neighborhood in search of sweet treats.

But it can become a real life horror story if parents don't heed safety tips or know the city's official ruling on who can and cannot go out on Oct. 31.

Officer Debbie Holmes with the Chesapeake Police Department Crime Prevention Bureau said that in Chesapeake the law permits only children 12 and younger to go out trick-or-treating. All children must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult and can only go out trick-or-treating from 6 until 8 p.m. on the 31st.

Anyone over 12 who goes out to trick-or-treat on Halloween night can be charged with a class 2 misdemeanor, which carries a fine of between $25 and $100 or up to six months in jail.

Holmes said the city's regular curfew prohibits those younger than 16 from being out of their homes after 11 p.m. but on Halloween ALL minors are expected to be home by 8 p.m.

Holmes also offers these common sense tips to insure that your child has a happy and safe Halloween evening:

Adults should accompany all children when out trick-or-treating, even if the child is 11 or 12 years old.

Children should wear light colored costumes short enough to prevent tripping. Add reflective tape to all costumes.

Make sure all children carry flash lights, wear reflective clothing or carry one of those glow sticks.

Make sure children are able to see well through face masks or better yet have them wear make-up instead of a mask.

Watch for all traffic.

Stay within the neighborhood and only visit familiar homes and those with lighted porches.

Wear shoes that fit. Avoid oversized costume shoes.

Avoid hard plastic, metal or wood props. Substitute with foam rubber.

Only accept and/or give out treats that are pre-wrapped or packaged.

Examine all candy before allowing kids to eat it. If your child does receive something suspicious, remember the address where it was obtained and contact the Chesapeake Police at 382-6161.

Keep costumed children away from pets. The pet may not recognize the child and become frightened.

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