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Kingsport Police Department
David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 |
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NEWS RELEASE | |||
SUBJECT: | Kingsport Police Share Halloween Safety Tips (Reissue) | ||
DATE: | October 28, 2019 | ||
GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
The Kingsport Police Department respectfully requests that citizens not call Kingsport Central Dispatch, especially the 9-1-1 emergency line, or any other City of Kingsport office for the sole purpose of asking what time they should go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween. Every year, Kingsport Central Dispatch, the Kingsport Police Department, and City Hall are inundated with inquiries of this nature.
Please be advised that Trick-or-Treating is not an officially sanctioned event with official hours set in stone. Citizens are encouraged to use their own best judgement as to when and where to go Trick-or-Treating. Having said that, most individuals participating in this popular activity will typically go Trick-or-Treating around dusk between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Also, please see the following Halloween safety tips as previously released: With October 31st just around the corner, the Kingsport Police Department would like to offer some suggestions for a safer Halloween experience. When it comes to costumed children and candy collecting, the Kingsport Police Department is a strong advocate of the “Trunk or Treat” and “Fall Festival” concepts as significantly safer alternatives to traditional door-to-door Trick or Treating. Rather than having kids wandering along dark neighborhood streets, knocking on the doors of complete strangers, Trunk or Treat and Fall Festival events are typically held in cordoned-off and well-lit parking lots or enclosed venues and are sponsored by reputable business, churches, or other community organizations. Furthermore, most of these events also include food, games, activities, and/or costume contests. There will be several Trunk or Treats and Fall Festivals taking place throughout the Kingsport area in the coming days, giving kids multiple opportunities to sport their costumes and collect goodies. With that being said, on Thursday, October 31, 2019, traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating is certainly an option. For those choosing this historically popular activity, the Kingsport Police Department offers the following Halloween safety tips courtesy of the National Safety Council: Halloween Safety On and Off the Road Kids love the magic of Halloween: Trick-or-treating, classroom parties and trips to a neighborhood haunted house. But for moms and dads, often there is a fine line between Halloween fun and safety concerns, especially when it comes to road and pedestrian safety. In 2016, 7,330 pedestrians died in traffic or non-traffic incidents, according to Injury Facts. Non-traffic incidents include those occurring on driveways, in parking lots or on private property. NSC research reveals about 18% of these deaths occurred at road crossings or intersections. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night also plays a factor in these deaths. Here’s a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. In 2017, October ranked No. 2 in motor vehicle deaths by month, with 3,700. July is No. 1, with 3,830 deaths. Costume Safety To help ensure adults and children have a safe holiday, the American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled a list of Halloween safety tips. Before Halloween arrives, be sure to choose a costume that won’t cause safety hazards.
Trick or Treating
Safety Tips for Motorists NSC offers these additional safety tips for parents – and anyone who plans to be on the road during trick-or-treat hours:
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RELEASING OFFICER | ||
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |