Hey, Columbia – With Halloween coming up, it’s always exciting for kids (and kids at heart) to get dressed up to attend costume parties, visit haunted houses and go trick-or-treating. Here are six tips to help you have a safe & fun trick-or-treating experience:

Plan a route in advance & travel in groups
Stay on sidewalks when possible
Bring a flashlight & stay in well-lit areas
Select well-fitting costumes, shoes & masks to avoid blocked vision and falls
Only go to houses with a porch light on
Sort & check candy when you return home

You may have noticed that temps are dropping and it’s much cooler in the mornings. Given these circumstances, warming up your vehicle may seem like a good idea, but it can make you a target for auto theft. My recommendation is to never leave your vehicle unattended while it's running. During the “brief” time you are inside the residence, your vehicle could be stolen or vandalized. So even if it means you have to suffer through chilly temps for a few minutes, it’ll be worth it.

Do you have an interest in learning more about incidents of officer-involved shootings, use of force, vehicle pursuits, officer-involved collisions or complaints of misconduct? Check out our Internal Affairs Report at ColumbiaPD.net. The report is a year in review of our 2016 internal affairs activities, and it includes supporting data + information about the topics listed above.

I want to send a special thank you to everyone that visited our officers at the S.C. State Fair and Five Points Chili Cook-off. We look forward to these annual events and my hope is that you found each interaction welcoming.

Sincerely,

-William “Skip” Holbrook, Columbia Police Chief