August Newsletter: Child Trafficking

This month’s Missing and Exploited Children’s Program (MECP) newsletter provides additional resources for criminal justice practitioners and allied professionals to address human trafficking within their communities. The featured MECP Webinar was conducted as a case study entitled, “Human Trafficking in America’s Schools.” This event included a real-life scenario of human trafficking in schools and provided participants with effective strategies to address human trafficking. In addition, our featured MECP/AMBER webinar entitled, “Human Exploitation and Trafficking Watch Model – Case Study,” examined a first-hand account of Alameda County’s District Attorney’s Office’s response to human exploitation and trafficking. In conclusion, we highlight the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) release of an online training tool on child trafficking and the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program: Child Sex Trafficking—Law Enforcement Response training.

MECP Webinar: Human Trafficking in America’s Schools- Case Study

Ms. Jenee’ Littrell, Assistant Principal from the Grossmont Union High School District in San Diego, CA, and Detective Sergeant William H. Woods, Retired from the San Diego Police Department, hosted a case study webinar event, “Human Trafficking in America’s Schools.” This interactive webinar connected participants directly with the experts to explore tools, techniques and best practices when responding to real-life scenarios on human trafficking in schools.

To view the recording of this webinar, please visit http://mecptraining.org/educate/webinars/.

MECP/AMBER Webinar: Human Exploitation and Trafficking Watch Model - Case Study

The MECP and AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program webinar featured Maia Sciupac, Program Manager with Thorn and Casey Bates, Assistant District Attorney with Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (ACDAO). Ms. Sciupac and Mr. Bates discussed the Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T.) program and how law enforcement, service providers, youth-serving systems, community members, and elected officials can work together to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). They further discussed the H.E.A.T. Watch 5-point strategy and some of the program’s challenges and successes since its inception in 2009.

To view the recording of this webinar, please visit http://mecptraining.org/tribaltraffickingseries/.

IACP Launches No-Cost Online Training on Child Trafficking

IACP, in collaboration with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Violent Crimes Against Children Section of the Criminal Division at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has announced the launch of the Child Sex Trafficking: A Training Series of Frontline Officers online training course. This training is available to law enforcement officers only and builds on the Child Sex Trafficking: A Training Series for Frontline Officers toolkit developed by IACP, the COPS Office and the FBI.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

Recognize the physical and behavioral indicators of child sex trafficking
Respond appropriately
Refer for investigation

The no-cost, interactive course is self-paced and available 24/7. To register, visit: http://elearning-courses.net/iacp/.

This training educates frontline officers on how to recognize and respond to victims of child sex trafficking. This is a series of training videos which depicts sworn law enforcement officers demonstrating alternative responses to different types of scenarios involving child sex trafficking.

For information on the system requirements to take the course, visit the getting started page.

For more information, contact Cari Jankowski at 1-800-843-4227 x 802 or [email protected].

AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program: Child Sex Trafficking—Law Enforcement Response Training

This 3-day training is designed to provide law enforcement investigators, human trafficking task force members and social service providers with the information necessary to properly understand, recognize, and investigate cases involving child sex trafficking and exploitation. Modules include a focus on the survivor’s perspective and changing perceptions regarding trafficking victims. Participants and instructors will delve deep into the dynamics of trafficking and exploitation to improve their skills related to interviewing the victim and interrogating the trafficker. Further, participants will receive instruction on tactical implementation designed to identify human trafficking and exploitation, conduct enforcement operations as well as receive instruction on the roles of non-profits, probation and parole.

Make a request to bring this training to your area by using the OJJDP TTA360 Centralized Request System. Click here to begin your training request.

Training Center

Request Training and Technical Assistance from MECP. MECP offers training and technical assistance tailored to meet the specific needs of State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other juvenile justice practitioners. For information on how your agency or organization can receive training and technical assistance on missing and exploited children’s issues, please contact MECP at 1–888–347–5610 or [email protected]. To submit a request for training and technical assistance, please complete a training and technical assistance form.