Deputies, officers deliver Halloween candy for kids, adults with special needs

LOVELAND, Ohio (WXIX) - Law enforcement had a special community mission this Halloween - going door-to-door and delivering candy to kids and adults with special needs in Loveland and Hamilton Township.

Departments from both communities, along with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, took part in what’s become an annual tradition.

Troy Fox, a deputy with the Warren County Sheriff, said this was a way to make all kids could participate in Halloween.

“When you know they’re walking and trick-or-treating with all of these other kids, they might feel overwhelmed,” Fox said.

Shawn Parks, a detective with the Hamilton Township Police Department, said crowds are a major issue with some kids and adults with special needs.

“There was a huge need for it because there’s children with special needs that just can’t do all the walk,” Parks said. “Sometimes just the crowds, it’s hard for them to actually get around to be able to participate.”

June Valleo said her son, Adan, has cerebral palsy and a chronic lung disease. It’s made enjoying a traditional Halloween impossible for both.

“I don’t have to worry about taking him and him getting stuck somewhere,” June Valleo said. “I can’t carry him back home because he can’t walk back home.”

The Loveland Police Department began the tradition in 2019 with Lt. Michael Szpak, who had a daughter with Down syndrome and a grandson with autism.

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