In McLennan County, TX, population 250,000, their sheriff’s department is all hands on deck to end human trafficking. Over the weekend – their patrol guys detected 3 separate human trafficking situations that could easily have been overlooked or ignored – and when they notified their human trafficking department – the lead detective showed up for them and the victims. And now at least three young victims are connected to services and support, and their traffickers are out of commission.

“This is what sets us apart from other agencies that I’ve seen, and when our patrol deputies see something that is a little off, they contact us and all work it together,” (Human Trafficking Detective) Scaramucci said. “We all grew up in this trafficking world together, and it really is a department effort all the time.”

We are proud of their work and, throughout the course of our 2 year partnership, we have watched them create an environment that is inhospitable to human trafficking. To the point that buyers post online to avoid Waco unless you want to get arrested, and pimps send their victims unaccompanied to avoid getting arrested. We hope to see this level of interconnectedness and victim-centered response scaled across the country.

Read the full article here, detailing the three distinct trafficking related cases identified by patrol officers during routine traffic stops for unrelated criminal activity. The more we know, and the more we work together across aisles that seem otherwise unrelated, the more victims we will help, traffickers we will stop, and survivors we will see thrive in their lives free from exploitation.

To learn more about what your department can do to find and stop the trafficking happening in your county, reach out to our team at info@collectiveliberty.org. We provide training for patrol officers, specialized detectives units (like Financial Crimes, Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, Sex Crimes, and Missing Children’s Units), including detailed case study review, data collection and intelligence analysis support, and interactive practice training exercises. We also provide ongoing data-collection and intelligence analysis support for departments as they adopt national best practices for ending human trafficking.

Let’s work together! Contact our national experts at info@collectiveliberty.org.