Two East Texas police departments are getting Halloween information into parents’ hands early. Palestine and Rusk both posted lists of registered sex offender addresses within their city limits ahead of trick-or-treat night, and in Rusk the posting is required under Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Along with the lists, both departments are urging parents to supervise children, plan a route in advance, carry flashlights, stay on sidewalks, and check candy before kids eat it.

You don’t need a department posting to do the same homework here in Ellis County. The Texas Sex Offender Registry, hosted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, is free and open to the public. Search your neighborhood, look at the streets your kids plan to walk, and map a route around whatever you find. It’s a five-minute step before a night that’s supposed to be about costumes and candy.

The East Texas postings have residents in other cities asking whether their own departments should follow suit. Around here, Halloween means downtown crowds, packed neighborhood loops, and porch lights on block after block. That tradition works best when families know their route and watch out for each other. Have you ever searched the state registry, or would you like to see Waxahachie police publish a list like this before October 31? Let us know on our Facebook page.