Saskatoon Police Service prepares for ‘unpredictable’ Halloween weekend

Saskatoon Police are urging the public to celebrate Halloween safely and responsibly this weekend.

Patrol and Traffic Superintendent Cameron McBride says this year he and other officers aren’t sure exactly what to expect.

“So, we’re using our knowledge from previous years to provide a policing response, but also thinking we may have far less people engaging in Halloween activities and so this year… we will have an augmented patrol staff out and about able to respond to calls for service as they come up.”

There will also be more check stops this weekend to try to weed out impaired drivers.

McBride says with clubs operating on restricted hours, there’s also the potential for more house parties and other gatherings especially on Saturday night, that don’t abide by public health guidelines.

“I anticipate other members of the public will be phoning in to complain if they believe their neighbours or businesses in the area are not complying with those limitations. And so, potentially we could be responding to those types of things,” he says.

He says he hopes businesses that operate bars, pubs and lounges especially follow proper COVID safety protocols.

There’s also a message for parents, especially those who plan to go trick or treating with their children.

“I would urge parents to teach their children safety. To educate them with regard to how to trick or treat safely and specifically within the confines of the context of a pandemic.”

He’s encouraging parents to accompany their kids outside, given the unique circumstances or to look for alternatives to going out that may provide an equally fun and memorable opportunity.

“This is unprecedented, and we would just call out to citizens of Saskatoon to be responsible, to be safe- and to consider this an anomaly and we’ll all do our part in ensuring safety and hopefully next year we can be back to normal.”