Police Increase Presence On Halloween
Oct 31, 2019, 10:28 PM | Updated: 10:29 pm
MILLCREEK, Utah — Keeping watch on the neighborhoods at night comes with the territory of being a police officer, but Halloween is no ordinary night. And for Unified Police officers in Millcreek, Thursday night’s patrol was far from typical.
“You get more suspicious vehicles and people with masks and hoodies,” said Detective Jonathan Richardson, a member of the Unified Police Crime Suppression Unit in Millcreek.
“It gives us the ability to actually talk to the kids,” Richardson said as he pulled over to chat with some trick-or-treaters. “Help them understand that police are your friends and out here to keep them safe.”
And with more feet on the pavement, the main concern is safety in the streets, for both pedestrians and drivers.
“You guys gotta stay safe tonight,” Richardson called out to a handful of pedestrians after handing out UPD bracelets and stickers.
“You also have the real threat of some bad people out there. Drunk drivers definitely increase compared to a normal night,” he said.
Those concerns only grow as the night wears on and trick-or-treaters return home. Until then, Richardson’s unit will continue their abnormal watch, keeping an eye out for the really scary stuff and making their presence known with a trick or a treat.
“Just a little contact like that, just seeing the cops roll through and flashing the lights…Everyone gets to wave and smile at you and realize that you’re there to keep them safe.”