Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy advises families to be extra cautious this Halloween

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — On Halloween, there are a lot of ghosts and goblins that might scare you, but the true risks are in our own communities. Deputy Sheriff Brendan Hurley of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office wants to warn both children and adults to take more caution this year.

“With the unprecedented violence that we’re seeing nowadays, and especially after dark, that’s when Halloween happens, it is after dark, and you’re going to be out and walking around,” Hurley said. “Just be careful. Be extra careful.”

And with a large quantity of sweets comes a large number of tricks.

“Always check your candy,” Hurley said. “Look for tampering. If it’s open, if it’s something home wrapped, just toss it out. Hopefully you got enough candy that you don’t have to worry about that one piece.”

Make sure you can see and be seen by others by being mindful of your surroundings and carrying a flashlight with you or wearing clothing that is reflective.

“It’s going to be dark,” Hurley said. “It could be walking around. There’s going to be a lot of traffic. You want traffic to be able to see you. You want people to know that you’re there. Use the sidewalk.”

More patrols will be on duty to ensure the safety of everyone who goes trick-or-treating on Halloween.

“Let us know we’re there,” Hurley said. “We’re around. We’ll be more than happy to come by and help out.”

But above all else, Hurley wants everyone to watch out for one another and make sure they have a good time together.

“Be kind to everybody and let everybody have fun,” he said. “And that’s what it’s all about. You give out candy for fun. You know, don’t judge other people for the way that they are.”