Detroit Planning More Fun Halloween Activities For Children
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) — The city of Detroit and community leaders hope to bring more fun back to Halloween for children and families after successfully reducing arsons over the three-day Angels' Night period.
An expanded number of parties, trick-or-treating and other Halloween-themed activities are planned at Detroit police precincts, fire stations, recreation centers and some city parks.
"We are going to have a haunted park, we'll have a haunted bus again," Charlie Beckham, Detroit group executive for neighborhoods, told WWJ Newsradio 950. "Last year, it was at the 10th precinct and it was truly a haunted bus. I went up to the door because I heard a lot of screaming in there, and that's as far as I went."
Volunteers also are being sought to join city workers and help patrol Detroit neighborhoods.
The day before Halloween had historically been a time of mischief and called Devil's Night in Detroit. Vacant houses began to be torched in the 1980s. The city had more than 800 fires during the Halloween period in 1984.
The city reported 59 fires during last year's Angels' Night campaign. Fewer than two dozen were considered suspicious. There were 52 fires in 2015.
Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones is hoping they can lower last year's number even more.
"I would love to see a year with no fires," Jones said. "A safe Detroit."
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