Scary Clown Costumes, Candles Not Advised On Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and New Bedford Police are offering some tips to keep this year's observance a safe one.

There will all types of costumes on display this weekend into Halloween Monday and, while he's not going to tell anyone what they should dress as, Police Chief Joseph Cordeiro tells WBSM News that it's important to make sure that that visibility and hearing aren't impared.

"You don't want anything that's going to obstruct your vision and also your hearing," said Cordeiro "you want to be able to hear a car coming, a dog and you want to be able to see when you're crossing the street and not have a blind spot, so that is very, very important."

Cordeiro advises that all young trick-or-treaters be accompanied by an adult and that caution should be observed when crossing any streets or walking in areas with vehicle traffic.

This year Halloween is also coming at a time when creepy clown sightings have been sweeping the nation and will it is perfectly legal to dress as a scary clown, Cordeiro says it may not be the best choice this year.

"It most definitely is not illegal, but I would say it's not prudent, given the environment and all the clown hysteria that the country's been experiencing" said Cordeiro "so I would say it's not prudent, but certainly not illegal."

Cordeiro also says that extra patrols will be out in force on Halloween this year and he is advising anyone who sees any suspicious activity to report it to police.

Along with costume safety Cordeiro is also advising against the use of real candles in Halloween displays.

"People are coming in and out of your house to get candy, and their vision is impaired, and they could knock a candle over or they have the potential for their costume to be ignited, so if you have one of those candles that have a lightbulb, it's alot safer and it just prevents alot of hazard.

Cordeiro is also advises residents to keep their walkways clear and well lit and to keep their exterior lights on to welcome trick-or-treaters.

Finally Cordeiro advises parents to check candy for any signs of tampering adding that, "when in doubt, throw it out."