Vintage KTBC: Halloween on Sixth Street 1988

What were KTBC viewers watching 30 years ago on Halloween night 1988?  Reporter Gary Gabriel live from the top of "Arena Dance Club" on Sixth Street talking about the holiday falling on a Monday and with bad weather there might not be as many ghouls and goblins as there were in '87.  

Gabriel also talked about how more than 200 Austin Police officers were on hand keeping the crowd "in-line."

Be sure to check that video out at the top of this page.

30 years later, safety on Sixth is still a thing.  

"So just like each year we're going to shut down Sixth Street on Halloween beginning at 6pm on Wednesday with the same type of closure system that we do on weekend nights," said Austin Police Assistant Chief Justin Newsom.

Newsom says extra officers will be in the downtown area for Halloween to make sure everyone's safe.

In fact APD has recently launched a new initiative ramping up their presence on the weekends after seeing a spike in shootings in the entertainment district.

There were 3 of them back to back one weekend earlier this month.

Chief Newsom says to keep illegal weapons away from Sixth Street or anywhere on Halloween night and if your costume requires a plastic weapon...

"Make sure that all fake weapons are obviously fake.  There's a lot of toy guns these days that you really can't tell the difference," Newsom said. 

As for trick or treaters in the neighborhoods...

"This is that one time of year where we allow our kids to go to stranger's houses because of Halloween but we don't want to get a false sense of security so remind your kids not to go into houses, not to go into people's cars," Newsom said.