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SCARSDALE, N.Y. Drawing on experience from past Halloweens, the Scarsdale Police Department has formed a partnership with the community that will multiply resources to ensure residents safety Wednesday on Halloween.
Police are teaming with village administrators, fire officials and the Scarsdale school district to educate the community about behavior that will not be tolerated on a holiday that has become as renowned for mischief and tricks as it has for treats.
The Police Department, in partnership with the Police Benevolent Association, is sponsoring a charity drive, encouraging local youths to donate items to My Sisters Place, as opposed to purchasing eggs, shaving cream and other things that lead to trouble on the holiday. Local merchants have also been requested not to sell goods that lead to mischief in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
Adults are being asked to accompany trick-or-treaters so they finish by a certain time. A voluntary curfew is being put into effect and should be monitored by parents. Children under 11 years old should be finished by 7 p.m., while anyone older should be done soliciting treats by 9 p.m.
There will be an increased police presence on Halloween night. Safety volunteers will serve as additional eyes and ears, monitoring crowds and the voluntary curfew. These volunteers will be placed throughout Scarsdale, and additional units will be deployed as necessary. Volunteers will be mobile and will report directly to the police desk or command post.
Uniformed, plainclothes and bicycle officers will join detectives on the streets, identifying potential hot spots. Eggs and shaving cream will be proactively confiscated, and large, unruly crowds will be dispersed.
An incident command vehicle will be used in situations that require additional police resources. These vehicles will be parked at areas experiencing a lot of youth activity, and will be equipped with the resources needed to process people who are involved in unacceptable behavior. Those who engage in activities that do not rise to the criminal level will be brought to the command vehicle, where an officer will contact parents to pick them up.
Youths under 16 who partake in criminal activity will be brought to police headquarters and issued appearance tickets for Westchester County Family Court before being released to parents. Anyone older will be arrested and booked at headquarters. Criminal offenses that will be prosecuted include criminal mischief, assault, larceny, menacing, reckless endangerment and robbery.
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