Fresno Police advises against Halloween clown costumes amid nationwide scares

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Police are ramping up their Halloween patrol efforts ahead of the Monday night festivities.

This weekend, you'll see extra officers on the roadways and at DUI checkpoints in busy areas and places where many people will be walking. Local authorities are also cracking down on jaywalking as part of their pedestrian safety campaign.

Lt. Joe Gomez with the Fresno Police Department also advises to avoid clown costumes if at all possible because of recent creepy clown incidents across the nation.

"I really recommend around Halloween that you do not do that because of all the attention they've gotten over the last month," he said. "And there are people that if you're out scaring their kids I mean they could get assaulted if you're a scary clown costume and they're out scaring kids."

Halloween falls on a Monday this year and if you are choosing to partake in trick-or-treating festivities, a good reminder to walk on the sidewalk and not in the street.

If there's no sidewalk, face traffic and walk at the edge of the roadway.