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High-vis police patrols spell Halloween hubbub crackdown

The Safer Portsmouth Partnership wants partygoers to have a spook-tacular but safe night out this Halloween, and any troublemakers on October 31st will be dealt with robustly.

Chief Inspector Carrie Pither will be joining high-visibility patrols across Portsmouth on Friday night, with community wardens and Police Community Support Officers out in force too.

Police and community wardens will proactively deal with groups intimidating householders or behaving anti-socially on the streets. This is especially the case for groups of youths hassling elderly people who do not want to open their front doors.

The partnership’s message to those planning to go trick or treating is: have a good time, but help us prevent anti-social behaviour. People are urged to follow the partnership’s TRICK SAFE guidance. Trick or treaters can follow our T.R.I.C.K. plan:

Try to make sure all young children are accompanied and supervised by an adult, preferably a parent or guardian
Responsible behaviour is asked of older young people and, if people do not want to open their doors, leave them alone
If you are in a group, watch out for one another’s safety on the roads and when at people’s doors
Counting on shop owners to sell you flour and eggs on the night is pointless as most businesses voluntarily stop doing this on Halloween
Keep your noise levels down, especially when it gets late

Homeowners and business owners answering their doors to people trick or treating can follow our S.A.F.E. plan:

Some people don’t like Halloween. If you’re one of them, you do not have to answer your door to trick or treaters, it is your choice and your property
As always, your vigilance is asked for tonight, and businesses are requested not to encourage bad behaviour by selling items like flour and eggs to children
For those of you who see any anti-social behaviour then contact the police on 0845 045 45 45 or ring the community wardens on 0800 587 0147 for the northern part of the city and 0800 085 3840 for everywhere else
Except if there is an emergency, ring 999

Cllr Jason Fazackarley, Executive Member for community safety, said: “We want people to have fun on Halloween, but we have a duty to remind everyone that there are vulnerable people in our communities who don’t like nights like tonight. So please keep all the above advice in mind if you’re going out.”

Chief Inspector Carrie Pither of Hampshire police, said: “We have been working with local businesses and residents and have been circulating posters that people can display which say ‘No trick or treat’, and if you see these please do respect the wishes of the person and leave them alone.

“Halloween can be great event and we have officers out and about who will be ensuring that those who want to partake in the fun can do so as safely as possible.”

Date : 30 October 2008