Safe Trick-or-Treating, St. Louis County Police Provides Locations

It happens every year. Children get excited and want their parents to take them trick-or-treating. It can be tough to find trusted locations, but there's one place each year guaranteed to keep parents from worrying.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children to one of the St. Louis County Police Department's Halloween safety centers. Police officers will be giving away glow necklaces, balloons and candy.

Precinct beat officers, supervisors, neighborhood policing officers, school resource and DARE officers will be assigned to the various locations.

Parents are encouraged to take their trick or treaters to the safety center most convenient to them between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Halloween night. Those safety centers include the following locations:

• North County Precincts: Barrington Elementary School; Lewis & Clark Elementary School; Highland Elementary School; Hazelwood Early Childhood Center; Jamestown Mall; Spanish Cove Apartment Office; Jennigs Civic Center; Dellwood Rec Center
• West County Precincts: at Precinct Station; Westbrooke subdivision; Strawberry Ridge subdivision; Arbor View subdivision; City of Winchester Reber Park; Village of Twin Oaks; Bentley Manor; San Luis subdivision; and Valley Park substation
• City of Fenton Precinct at Riverchase Recreational Complex
• South County Precinct at South County Mall
• Affton Southwest Precinct at Precinct Station
• Central County Precinct at Hanley Hills and Parkway Industrial Learning Center
• City of Wildwood Precinct at Village Plaza Center and Schnucks Wildwood Crossing Center

Police also encourage families to have their children go to homes with which they are familiar, and to inspect all candy before allowing children to open it.

Randy Vaughn, the St. Louis County Police Department's media relations officer provided the following important Halloween Safety tips:

• Carry a flashlight to help improve visibility.
• Plan a route to take and share it with family members.
• Wear light-colored or reflective clothing.
• Only cross streets at crosswalks or street corners.
• Only visit homes where a porch light is turned on.
• Never go into any stranger's home.
• Immediately report all suspicious activity or treats to police.
• Drivers should use extreme caution when traveling through a subdivision, including driving slowly and alertly.