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TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Attorney General Bill McCollum, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and the Florida Police Chiefs Association today issued an advisory for the upcoming Halloween weekend, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead for a safe Halloween.

“Halloween is a fun holiday for children of all ages, and with the right plan and right precautions, parents and children alike can enjoy the weekend safely,” said Attorney General McCollum.

The Attorney General urged parents to map their trick-or-treat routes with their children in advance, and encouraged parents to talk to their older children about staying in a preapproved area. A valuable tool for creating a route is the State’s sex offender registry database, which parents can use to locate and avoid any sex offenders’ homes in their neighborhoods. The registry is maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and is available online at: http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Search.jsp. Parents and children should also avoid visiting homes without outdoor lighting.

“Parental supervision and involvement are key ingredients for a safe Halloween,” said Pinellas Park Police Chief Dorene Thomas, President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association. “Spending the evening with your children ensures that they will be able to enjoy trick-or-treating without running into any dangerous situations.”

“Law enforcement officers everywhere will be out in force Saturday evening, ensuring public safety,” said Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “Working together, we can make this a fun and safe Halloween.”

The Attorney General and Florida’s law enforcement leaders offered parents the following tips for keeping their kids safe while trick-or-treating:

- Parents should accompany their children from door to door, or should encourage older children to travel in large groups of five or more;
- Parents should keep their children in well lit areas and on sidewalks, especially if the children’s costumes are dark or hard to see;
- Parents should establish checkpoints with older children and predetermined times for those children to call and confirm they are safe; and
- Parents should check their children’s candy before allowing them to consume any.

For more tips on how to enjoy a safe and fun Halloween, parents are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agencies.