While area young people are focused on fun this Halloween weekend, Kingfisher Police Chief David Catron is reminding parents and guardians to be focused on safety.

“As always, we’re asking parents, motorists and all our residents to take extra precautions to make sure our kids stay safe this weekend,” Catron said.

The police department had extra officers on duty and on foot Friday afternoon at strategic points on Main Street to caution motorists and escort the hundreds of costumed kids who flocked to Kingfisher’s downtown for the merchants' trick-or-treat.

Extra patrols also are planned Sunday night for residential trick-or-treating from 6-8 p.m.

Catron offers the following tips to help keep children safe:

•Choose costumes that are easily visible to motorists and make sure masks do not obscure children’s vision. Better yet, forgo masks entirely in favor of make-up or face-painting.

“Trick-or-treaters should carry a flashlight or glow stick to increase their visibility,” Catron said. “I also recommend that parents use reflective tape on costumes to make kids even more visible to motorists.”

•Young children should be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult and only visit the homes of family members or known neighbors or acquaintances.

“Parents should talk with children about stranger danger and warn them not to accept rides from strangers,” he said.

•Residents can help by making sure their porches or doorways are brightly lit if they are handing out treats. Avoid candles or other open flames in favor of electric or battery operated lights.

•Motorists are urged to stay off the streets as much as possible from 6-8 p.m., particularly in heavily-populated residential neighborhoods, and remain alert for excited children darting into traffic.

•All residents are asked to call 911 to report any suspicious activity on Halloween.

•Once kids are home with their goodies, parents should inspect all treats and goodies to ensure they are safe and in their original packaging, Catron said.

While door-to-door goody g tradition, Catron also reminded parents that kids can have as much fun in the safer environments of trick-or-treat alternatives, hosted all weekend long by local churches and organizations.

They include:

4-H Family Fright Night – 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds MACenter.

Hennessey Haunted Library – 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Hennessey Public Library, 525 S. Main St.

Trunk-or-Treating – 5-7 p.m. Friday, Kingfisher Church of the Nazarene; 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Kingfisher Federated Church; 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Town of Cashion; 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Kingfisher First Christian Church.

Fall Festivals – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Frontline Ministries, Kingfisher; 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Kingfisher Lifeway Church; 6:30-9 p.m. Sunday, Kingfisher First Assembly of God.