ELLY GRIMM

    • Leader & Times

The Halloween holiday is fast approaching, which means that weekend could see more people out and about on the streets.

With that in mind, the Liberal Police Department will be out and about throughout the community making sure everyone has a safely spooky holiday.

“What helps us is from the State of Kansas is our STEP Grant, which means we can do additional enforcement for speed or DUIs or seat belt violations. We're going to use some of that money,” LPD Capt. Jeff Wade said. “I'm going to put out some extra officers just for DUIs because with Halloween being on a Saturday night, we want to make sure the community is safe by getting make sure there are extra officers concentrating on stopping drunk drivers. Having additional officers out there and being visible should hopefully slow down some of the reckless driving on Kansas Ave. and the other main roads. We want everyone to have fun, and if a fight or some other calamity happens, we'll have extra officers out there who can respond. So that's what we're going to do this year.”

There will also be some extra patrols in the residential areas, Wade added.

“That STEP patrol will be out concentrating more on the main thoroughfare areas like Pancake Ave. and those other main streets, and that will allow the officers on shift to be able to get into some of the busier residential areas so they can drive through and make sure there’s anybody driving recklessly or anything like that,” Wade said. “I’ve taken my own son out these past few years, and there have been times I’ve reminded people ‘Hey, there are children in the area, knock it off’ if I’ve seen something about to happen.”

Wade added there could definitely be some extra work for the officers due to the holiday being on a weekend.

“Kind of like last year, I feel like we're going to have some large parties. With Halloween being on the weekend, I think we'll have to deal with some larger house parties and people celebrating,” Wade said. “In my experience, when Halloween’s come during the week, that’s usually not as busy because people have to work or go to school the next day. But with everything being on a Saturday this year, I foresee people staying out later, staying up later, probably drinking a little more than they would on, say, a Tuesday because they don't have to get up work. With that in mind, I want to remind everyone if they're going to go out and drink and have a good time, we support that, but get a sober driver, because we don't want to provide that for you – we will if we have to, but you probably won't like where you go.”

With extra people being out and about, Wade said there are some safety precautions trick-or-treaters and their families should take.

“The advice I'd give parents is, don't let your kids go out by themselves, especially if they're younger. We also highly recommend having a flashlight so everyone can be seen, and make sure the kids look both ways when they cross the street. If a kid’s costume includes a mask, make sure they pick it up so they can see easier when they do cross the streets,” Wade said. “And for those who will be driving around, be patient when you’re driving, and maybe plan on parking farther away and just walking, because there probably will be extra congestion because of the people walking around. Be very watchful when you’re driving of kids, because kids can have a habit of jumping out from between cars without looking because they’re just so excited – I’ve had to have multiple conversations with my own son about that, and it’s truly a matter of safety. And check whatever candy you happen to get, make sure it’s actually appropriate for your kids. Or, if you get something homemade, make sure you know the people and you can trust them. We've never had a problem here with anybody doing anything in that regard, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

There are also some safety precautions that should be taken by those planning Halloween parties and similar gatherings that evening.

“If you host a party, you are responsible for the activity. You're responsible if there’s any underage drinking or anything like that – you, as the host, can be charged with that. And like I say with the 4th of July holiday, be considerate of your neighbors – don’t be playing loud music all day and all night, that’s just not being a good neighbor,” Wade said. “Make sure your guests are considerate of your neighbors’ parking, make sure no one’s blocking anyone else’s driveway. Those are the things we deal with when people throw a party – the partygoers are having a good time, but they don't care their neighbor has little kids trying to go to sleep or about the neighbors having to go to work in the morning. Overall, just have some common courtesy and think about not just yourself and your friends' fun, keep some thoughts in mind about your neighbors, because the next day, you still have to be neighbors. If everyone just shows that consideration, things should be fine. And if you do have to report a noise complaint that evening, call (620) 626-0151 or (620) 626-0150, either one of those will connect you to dispatch and we’ll respond. However, if it’s a true emergency like a fight or something like that, call 911.”

Overall, Wade said, he hopes the community has a safe and spooky holiday weekend.

“I think it's going to be about normal for a Friday or Saturday night, so I hope that is what it is, but I don't want to jinx anything. That's what we expect, but there's always the unexpected we don’t necessarily foresee, but we’re still ready to respond,” Wade said. “I also want to thank the community for the support they've given us, and I want to thank everyone who showed up to the Trail of Terror. We hope everybody has a very happy Halloween.”