Reno, Nevada. October 22, 2010. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office wants everyone to have a safe and enjoyable Halloween this year. These safety tips are designed to help parents protect their children during Halloween. Some of these are well-known child safety tips, while others focus on the possibility of victimization on an evening when thousands of children may be walking in unfamiliar neighborhoods. The Sheriff’s Office urges parents to talk about prevention and detection of potential dangerous situations throughout the entire year.

Here are some safety tips to follow: Always trick or treat with an adult. Do not allow a child to go outside alone.

Accompany children to the door of every house they approach.

Never go inside a house without prior permission from an adult.

Children should not approach any vehicle, occupied or not.

Wear bright clothing or use reflective strips on costumes.

Walk on sidewalks, obey traffic signals and stop signs, and carry a glow stick or flashlight.

Children should be warned to never approach a house that is not well lit and does not have a porch light or outside light on.

Do not go onto property’s that are marked “Keep Out”, “No Trespassing”, and “No Solicitors Allowed”.

Never eat any candy until an adult checks it. Dispose of anything that seems to have been tampered with, has been opened, or is not wrapped.

Children should immediately report to their parents and/or law enforcement any suspicious incidents.

Instruct children to shout for help and make a scene if anyone tries to grab them or force them into involuntary situations.

A great alternative to trick or treating is for parents to organize at-home parties, since Halloween falls on a Sunday this year.