Enjoy A Safe Halloween With Tips From Howard County Police Department

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — As families and the Howard County police prepare for Halloween and trick-or-treating, officials have identified where 112 registered sex offenders live in Howard County. The police department noted that all registered sex offenders were found to be "in compliance and were reminded of restrictions regarding interaction with children, as appropriate."

Parents who want to be aware of offenders’ residences when mapping out their trick-or-treat route can check the Maryland Sex Offender Registry, the police department noted.

Police offer the following tips to parents and drivers:

• Encourage children to trick-or-treat with a group, and before dark. After dark, an adult chaperone should carry a flashlight and choose well-lighted streets.
• Wear costumes that are short, snug and flame retardant; wear light colors or reflective tape; avoid masks that can obstruct vision.
• Teach children they should never go inside a stranger’s home or car.
• Remind children not to eat treats before they have been inspected by parents; never eat candy that has been opened.
• Tell trick-or-treaters not to take shortcuts through backyards, alleys or playing fields.
• Don’t allow children to approach homes that are dark.
• Drive slowly all evening – you never know when a trick-or-treater may dart into the street.
• If you’re handing out candy, turn on outside lights and remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also advises the public of an "alarming emerging trend" of colorful fentanyl available across the United States. Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl,” the deadly pills have been designed to look like candy.

“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said U.S. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”