SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- San Diego Police and National City firefighters used “scare tactics” this Halloween with elaborate haunted stations, touted as safer alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating on dark streets.
The Southeastern Division police station building on Skyline Drive was transformed into a walk-though “haunted station," with room after room of zombies, creepy clowns and ghouls, some played by department employees in costume.
“It’s all in good fun, for the kids to save a safe place to go, to get a little scared but in a safe environment,” San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said before she took a tour of the haunts.
Joseph Lemon, Jr. does not let his 11-year-old daughter Ananda do traditional trick-or-treating.
“It’s not as safe as it used to be, and you have to go and x-ray the candy and all of that," Lemon, Jr. said. "Now many of the churches and the police department put on events like this that are safer.”
They also had candy and entertainment in the parking lot. Zimmerman said about 500 families tour the haunted station each year.
In National City, the training tower at Fire Station #34 on East 16th Street became “Tower of Terror” for the tenth year in a row.
Hundreds of people lined up throughout the night to walk through the maze of haunted rooms and be scared by ghouls, played by students from Sweetwater High School and firefighters.
They also had candy, a costume contest, a bounce house and less-scary games for the little ones.
National City Police say just after 8:30 p.m. several juvenile males threw eggs at the event.
No one was hit and there was no damage to any property. Five of the juveniles were detained and later released to their parents.
