Safety tips and times for Halloween in Michiana

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind.-- Berrien Springs and Elkhart Police Departments are gearing up for all Halloween festivities collaborating with local organizations to keep the community safe and fun this Halloween.

USA today reported that from 2011-2020, more child pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween than any other day of the year. It is important to make sure that your child’s costume is visible for drivers and avoid wearing masks so they can see out of their costumes and avoid oncoming traffic.

You can catch the Elkhart Police Department at the “Track or Treat” hosted at the freshman division, “Trick or Treat” at the Tulson center and downtown at the ArtWalk “Learn on the Lawn” patrolling and keeping our community both fun and safe.

Berrien Springs Police Department school resource officer, Matthew Oosterwal, will be with the police department mascot dog handing out treats to overfill your Halloween buckets on Main & Ferry Street.

“Never go into a house that’s un-lit, that means never ever go into a stranger’s house" said Oosterwal.

The Berrien Springs and Elkhart Police Department wants you to enjoy a treat on Halloween, but the trick is they encourage you to do so during designated trick or treat hours when patrols can be found in your area. 

Below are the Trick or Treat times in our area.

Indiana

• Elkhart & Goshen: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Plymouth, South Bend, Mishawaka & Pulaski County: 5-7 p.m.
• Warsaw: 5:30-8 p.m.
• LaPorte: 5-7 p.m. 
• Lagrange County: 5-8 p.m.
• Knox: 5:30-7 p.m.

Michigan

• Berrien Springs: 6-7:30 p.m.
• Three Rivers: 5-7 p.m.
• Benton Harbor: 4:30-6 p.m.
• Niles: 4-5 p.m.

The local police departments are encouraging parents to examine your child’s candy, by verifying it’s inside the original package and checking for any signs of tampering. If you suspect anything wrong with the candy, reach out to your local police department.

You can stop an on-duty officer for a treat or stop by the department for some candy.