Parents turning to organized events for trick-or-treating

INDIANAPOLIS — Halloween is an exciting holiday for most people.

Although parents are excited about getting back to tradition, they can't help but do you think about all the safety measures for the kiddos this time of the year.

"It's great to see kids able to be kids again. Parents can be able to be parents again," said Andrea Cannon.

It did not come as a surprise to see many streets across the Circle City Monday evening filled with many people dressed in their best costumes.

"I need that candy," said a kid out with his siblings trick-or-treating.

But with this festive occasion comes another responsibility.

"Today, I had that conversation with my kids. The safety conversation," Cannon said.

Cannon is a teacher. She said although today was packed with fun, she did not miss an opportunity to send her students out with "the safety talk".

"Hey guys, make sure that you're walking together in groups and that you're with your parents with other groups of people. If you see something that doesn't feel, right get out of the way," Cannon said.

"We certainly want everybody to be safe," IMPD Captain Steven Ferklic said.

Just a few miles from Cannon, at IMPD Southeast District. Hundreds of people stopped by to go trick-or-treating.

Ferklic said with so much happening in communities across the country, organized trick-or-treating events have been slowly replacing the door-to-door method over the years.

"With the event of technology and stuff like that, many people don't know their neighbor as well as they used to, so it's a little bit different how they do that. People are concerned about crime in their communities. This is a safe place where you can go and won't have to worry about your children," Ferklic said.

"It's like a one-stop shop," Kelly Sheler said.

Sheler said she's been bringing her children to IMPD’s Southeast district Halloween event for many years, and it's always more than enough to avoid going from door to door.

"It changes. It's not the same thing each year. So, you know you're going to see something new," Sheler said.

IMPD’s Southeast District is able to put on its Halloween event every year thanks to community donations to help with candy and its haunted house. More than 400 people attend every year.