Un-Haunting Your House for Halloween Trick-or-Treaters

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Ann Harkins

President & CEO, National Crime Prevention Council

http://www.ncpc.org/

In September of 2009, Ann M. Harkins, Esq. became the President and Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC). NCPC symbolized by McGruff The Crime Dog® and his signature “Take A Bite Out Of Crime”® slogan, conducts public education training, technical assistance and manages public service advertising to help people keep themselves, their families and their communities safe from crime.

Prior to this role, Ms. Harkins served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer overseeing the day-to-day operations of the National Crime Prevention Council. Before joining NCPC, she was executive director of CASA of the Eastern Panhandle and coordinated West Virginia Summits on Homeland Security in 2003 and 2006. From 2001 to 2003, she served as Deputy Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate where she was chief operating officer of the 800-person administrative office and Sergeant-at-Arms Al Lenhardt’s senior advisor after the 2001 terrorist and anthrax attacks. Before that, she held many public policy positions, including chief of staff for Attorney General Janet Reno, U.S. Department of Justice, and chief counsel, Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology and the Law. Ms. Harkins has a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and an M.A. in Latin American History and a B.A. in History from The Catholic University of America.

Un-Haunting Your House for Halloween Trick-or-Treaters

Ann Harkins, President and CEO of the National Crime Prevention Council and McGruff the crime dog talk about how to welcome trick-or-treaters without scaring them.

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Kids

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October

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Mgruff

Transcripts

Ann Harkins: Hi! I am Ann Harkins, President and CEO of the National Crime Prevention Council, home of McGruff the Crime Dog. I want to talk to you today about un-haunting your house and neighborhood on Halloween. Haunted houses and other scary things that go bump in the night can give kids a fright or be very entertaining.

If you are like me, you want to welcome trick-or-treaters without the scary ghosts and goblins. Here are a few simple tips to welcome trick-or-treaters. Turn on your exterior lights. Use decorative Halloween lights to help light the night. Remove objects from your yard that might present a tripping hazard to visitors.

Consider happy Halloween decorations that are less gory and scary, especially for younger trick-or-treaters. Always keep lighted jack-o-lanterns and lamps far away from drapes, decorations and other flammable materials, where children or pets will be standing or walking. Speaking of pets, confine or secure your household pets, so they are safe and not spooked by the frightful sights and sounds of Halloween night.

Be sure your pets are wearing collars and proper identification tags in case they get outside. Ask your neighborhood watch or citizens group to patrol the community on Halloween, to keep trick-or-treaters safe from potential harm. Ask students from the local high school or community colleges to be helpers by watching out for ghoulish behavior or helping trick-or-treaters cross busy streets and intersections.

Encourage your neighbors to drive slowly all evening on Halloween, because you never know what strange creatures may suddenly cross your path. Adult partygoers should establish a designated driver who can get them home safely. If you see suspicious or criminal activity, please report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department.

Let's make sure this spooking night is a safe one for everyone. Happy Halloween. Thanks for watching and if your are interested in more safety tips and some fun Halloween coloring pages and other activities for your kids, please visit our website at ncpc.

org.