TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— This Halloween, Attorney General Pam Bondi is releasing trick-or-treating safety tips and urging parents to utilize a new Florida Department of Law Enforcement application. The FDLE Search Sexual Offenders and Predators App allows users to instantly identify addresses on a trick-or-treating route where sex offenders are registered. Preparing now can help ensure a safe trick-or-treating experience.
“Halloween is a time for families and friends to dress up, trick-or-treat and enjoy each other’s company, but kids walking at night and visiting unknown houses can be scary,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Please take steps now to ensure the scariest thing about this Halloween are the costumes.”
Below are some simple tips to help keep children safe this Halloween:
· Trick-or-treat in a group with a trusted adult;
· Practice road safety—look both ways before crossing the street and utilize sidewalks and crosswalks;
· Equip children with a light source such as a flashlight, glow stick or reflective gear;
· Never let children go into the home of a stranger and do not approach dark houses; and
· Inspect commercially wrapped treats and properly dispose of candy with odd discoloration, pinholes or tears in wrapping.
Parents and guardians can now download the new FDLE’s Search Sexual Offenders and Predators app. The app allows users to find out if sex offenders live on a trick-or-treat route. The app is available for download free of charge in the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. Search for FDLE Mobile App in Google Play and FDLE in the Apple Store.
For more information on the new FDLE app, click here.
Parents and guardians can also visit FLSexOffender.net to see a list of all registered sex offenders and predators living within a five-mile radius. Florida law prohibits sex offenders from distributing candy or other items to children on Halloween. Attorney General Bondi asks Floridians who encounter a sex offender giving out candy to notify authorities.
Attorney General Bondi wishes everyone a happy and safe Halloween.
