Officers are urging trick-or-treaters to be considerate of other people and are working to reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour around the county.
Police realise Halloween is a fun time of year for many people and everyone who joins in with the festivities should have a safe and enjoyable time. They encourage young people to go out and have fun with their families and friends but we want to make sure people are mindful of their actions.
It is important to remember that not everyone likes to celebrate or feels comfortable with trick-or-treaters approaching their home. In fact many elderly and vulnerable people, or families with pets, may find persistent door knocking very distressing. Police are urging people to be mindful of this and asking parents to speak to their teenage children to make sure they understand what is and isn’t acceptable.
Superintendent Pete Steenhuis from Kent Police said: ‘For obvious reasons we tend to see an increase in anti-social behaviour and complaints at this time of year and it is vital we consider all of our residents. We will have high-visibility patrols in place around the county and officers will move on anyone causing anti-social behaviour or intimidating members of the public.
‘Partnership work is key and we link in closely with other agencies and local businesses to help reduce the risk of incidents occurring. This includes visiting retailers to prevent the sale of eggs and flour to young people and reminding trick-or-treaters to respect the wishes of those residents who don’t want to be disturbed.
‘Whilst it is not always youngsters, and it is usually just a small minority of people who spoil celebrations with pranks that cause criminal damage or intimidation, incidents of anti-social behaviour won’t be tolerated.’
Officers have been carrying out welfare visits to known vulnerable people, to give them advice and to ensure they have their posters, which discourage trick-or-treaters, on display in their windows. These posters are also available to download on the Kent Police website Halloween and fireworks | Kent Police.