Q&A with Officer Paul Payne

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Bao, Jenna Xu

Beware! Seniors dress up in all sorts of unique costumes as they parade the halls of SHS on Oct. 28. A myriad of costumes will flood the halls, and while students are having fun, the administration will be makinfgSenior Halloween as enjoyable and safe as possible. Although there were already some rules set in place for Senior Halloween, the administration will be cracking down harder on them this year. “I’m so excited for Senior Halloween. I’m going to be in a group with all my friends. I just wish it wasn’t so restricted,” said Grace Mather, 12. Photo courtesy McDaniel’s Photo

Q : Do you think that the creepy clown craze will still be big around Halloween?

A: Absolutely, I think the craze will only increase during Halloween. It’s all fun and games, until someone gets hurt.

Q : Do you think that people will still dress as clowns on Halloween despite warnings from law enforcement?
A: Yes, warnings mean nothing! They are way too naive to think nothing could possibly happen to them.

Q : How will the creepy clown craze affect Senior Halloween?
A: Administrators have made their expectation perfectly clear to all seniors.

Q : Why were the Sycamore students who tweeted at the clowns treated so harshly in comparison to students at other schools who did similar things?
A: You have to look at their intent and how many people it affected by their comments. Their common goal was to create panic and fear.

Q : Do you think the clowns started out as an organized group or multiple individual copycats?
A: No, I believe social media contributed to the wide spread.

Q : Could the start of the clowns be involved with the upcoming remake of the Stephen King movie “It?”
A: I have no idea. I am not familiar with the new movie.

Q : If anyone was to see a clown what course of action would you recommend they take?
A: Call the police or SHS administrators if they are in fear of their life or feel threatened.

Q: What are members of law enforcement supposed to do if they see a clown? Are the clowns supposed to be considered armed and dangerous?
A: We handle all our calls the same, as if we were investigating a potential threat or someone causing fear to others. We take all calls very seriously.

Here is the full list of the regulations for costumes this year.