Before The Kids Trick-Or-Treat, Parents Should Check These Sites
Halloween in 2020 won't be normal in the Shreveport - Bossier area. With the City of Shreveport "discouraging" (a way of saying they want to BAN it, but don't know if they legally can) trick or treating this Halloween, there might not be as many people out trick-or-treating. But, Bossier City is still on for trick-or-treating, and there will be events featuring trick-or-treating, like the Bossier City Farmer's Market. There are also people going above and beyond to accommodate social distancing into the trick-or-treating experience.
So even though it won't be a normal Halloween, there will still be kids heading out to trick-or-treat.
If you are one of those parents who will be letting your kids participate in Halloween, you might want to check these sites out before you send your kids out for trick-or-treating. Just to check the neighborhoods the kids will be in.
While some counties in the US have started placing signs in the yards of registered sex offenders during trick or treat hours, no Parish in our area has started the practice. Meaning that the responsibility lands with parents. Here are the resources parents will need to check the neighborhoods their kids will be in tonight:
Caddo Parish: http://www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=54078
Bossier Parish: http://www.bossiersheriff.com/sex-offenders/
Webster Parish: http://www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=54423
De Soto Parish: http://www.icrimewatch.net/index.php?AgencyID=54079
Generally there is no enhanced dangers for kids during trick or treating, in fact the Sheriff in Georgia responsible for the yard sign efforts, Sheriff Gary Long, told CBS News:
"Let's face reality: We have a greater chance of children getting run over by a car [on Halloween] than being a victim of sexual assault by a repeat offender, but at the end of the day if, in fact, we had a child that fell victim to a sexual assault, especially by a convicted sex offender, I don't think I could sleep at night."
This won't be a normal Halloween, so let's all be safe while we're out there.