Interagency Collaboration

Law enforcement agencies have the frontline role in fighting human trafficking through

everyday encounters such as traffic stops, calls for service, and investigations. Yet their efforts

face challenges through the lack of proper and up to date training as the crime of human

trafficking continually evolves, leading to widespread misconceptions about the problem

(Hounmenou & Toepp, 2023). As a result, officers are unequipped with necessary resources,

have weak relations with the community, are understaffed, lack specialized units dedicated to

human trafficking, and are overwhelmed. This leaves law enforcement agencies unable to stay

active on these crimes and investigations (Hounmenou & Toepp, 2023). The International

Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognized that combating human trafficking, especially

rescuing child victims, requires collaboration with multiple partners including prosecutors,

parole and probation, juvenile justice departments, healthcare, child welfare agencies, schools,

victim service providers, other government agencies and law enforcement departments, and the

community (International Association of Chiefs of Police [IACP], 2016).

The US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has numerous

valuable, free, and openly available resources to guide law enforcement agencies in anti-human

trafficking efforts including: providing evidence-based Training and Technical Assistance

responsive to the particular needs of law enforcement agencies and the victims they serve; and a

Fact Sheet on building effective collaborations to address human trafficking. Some of the

partnerships within the community should include, but not be limited to: local, state, tribal (if

applicable), and federal law enforcement; private investigators; child welfare systems; juvenile

justice systems; child advocacy centers; rape crisis centers; domestic violence shelters and

service providers; civil legal service providers; immigrant-serving agencies; youth and mentoring
programs; courts; public defenders; schools, especially school resource officers and counselors;

human trafficking service programs; hospitals and urgent care clinics; student groups; service

organizations (such as Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce); business leaders; faith-

based organizations (such as churches, mosques, temples, synagogues); repatriation assistance;

safety planning; sexual assault trauma services; translation and interpretation; victim advocacy;

transportation; and substance abuse services (Office for Victims of Crime [OVC], n.d.). When

deciding and establishing a partnership, the law enforcement agency should look for the ability

of an organization or institution to identify and serve victims and to investigate and prosecute

traffickers (OVC, n.d.).

Other partnerships that law enforcement agencies consider that provide services for the

victim includes, but not limited to: case management; child-specific (dependent) assistance;

clothing; crisis intervention; cultural and community support; dental care (emergency and long-

term); education and GED classes; english as a Second Language classes; financial literacy and

education; family contact or reunification; food; housing (emergency, transitional, permanent);

identification documents; job preparation and placement; legal representation (immigration,

criminal, civil); medical care (emergency and long-term); mental health care (emergency and

long-term); public benefits assistance; and religious and spiritual assistance. Law enforcement

agencies are limited in their abilities to provide care to victims and while implementing training

to educate officers in those needs will benefit anti-human trafficking efforts, other partnerships

have tools and services that the agencies lack. In addition, partnerships with other entities are

able to invest and provide more diverse and creative alternatives to ensure that all needs of all

victims can be met.

Further Training

While this paper has previously highlighted the importance of training officers to identify

and respond to child victims of human trafficking, continuing to stay informed about evolving

trends and furthering training on best practices is key to maintaining preparedness and rescuing

victims by using and knowing the tools available.

Specialized Training

To continue monitoring and developing vital skills to understand the constantly evolving

criminal network of human trafficking, law enforcement officers should seek specialized training

programs. These programs may cover: interviewing techniques; interrogation techniques;

identification and recognition; undercover operations; internet and technology in human

trafficking; and crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques. Several government agencies,

non government organizations, academic institutions, and training academies provide such

training programs on the national, state, and local levels.

National. National training agencies include: Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

(FLETC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), International Association of Chiefs of

Police (IACP), National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center

(NHTTAC), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), COPS, Law Enforcement Training Academy &

Consulting (LETAC), International Justice Mission (IJM), Polaris Project, and Non-

Governmental Organizations (NGOs). (Links to these agencies providing training will be

attached to the end of the paper after the Reference list).

State and Local. State training agencies include: Virginia Department of Criminal

Justice Services (DCJS), Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and Foundation (VACP),
Virginia State Police (VSP), collaboration with federal agencies in the area, and local nonprofit

organizations.

Use Available Free Tools

There are several free and openly available tools and resources that law enforcement can

use for further training. Previously mentioned, the DHS provides the Blue Campaign Training

that is free of cost and includes training materials, posters, and other tools to educate both the

law enforcement and the public. Other free tools that law enforcement can use include: National

Human Trafficking Hotline, Polaris Project’s Data Analysis Tools, Human Trafficking Search

(HTSearch), Human Trafficking Legal Center’s Resource Library, Human Trafficking Evidence

Portal, Trafficking Matters Resource Center, STOP APP, and the National Institute of Justice

Resources. These free tools and resources available to law enforcement provide: reporting tools,

gather information, connect with victim services, data analysis tools to track trends, reports and

data visualizations, databases of resources and research, and libraries on legal materials.

Benefits. The first and most obvious benefit of using free tools openly available to law

enforcement agencies include the cost and time effectiveness solution. Law enforcement

agencies will save funds and be able to operate under a tight budget while also maximizing on

resources by leveraging the free tools to their advantage. Especially with understaffed

departments where personnel is limited, using free and openly available tools allow officers the

flexibility to complete training. These tools easily allow agencies to integrate training into their

existing systems and workflow without excessive disturbance or risking public safety by

removing officers from patrol. In addition, using open and publicly available information allows

officers to conduct open source intelligence (OSINT) gathering. Especially using apps, such as
STOP APP, and data analytic sites, such as Polaris Project, officers are able to glean information

online for better investigative purposes overall.

Barriers. While the free tools save the agency money and time, it also limits features, are

less reliable, and could potentially include inadequate training and documentation. They may

lack certain essential functions and not educate personnel on the entirety of human trafficking.

Paid tools allow law enforcement access to information and intelligence that the public does not

have access to. Especially in human trafficking related crimes involving children, that

information is most likely sensitive and only accessible on a need-to-know basis that free tools

will not be able to provide.

Christian Worldview

Interagency collaboration is crucial to law enforcement operations in rescuing human

trafficking victims and prosecuting traffickers. While this idea seems an obvious and easy

solution, it faces challenges as a low level of trust is usually felt when people attempt to exercise

power. Combating human trafficking is bigger than law enforcement can handle and requires

collaboration and teamwork. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV, 1978) states, “Two are better than

one…if either of them falls down, one can help the other up…though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.” Scripture praises collaboration and working together, recognizing

that a single individual attacking the problem will not be able to do much. Yet working together

with multiple parties includes humility. Proverbs 11:2 (NIV, 1978) states, “When pride comes,

then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Setting aside pride and adopting a

mindset of humility in order to collaborate with others will create an efficient and effective task

force to fight human trafficking. God explicitly outlines the right and best way to work with

others in his Scripture.

References:

Hounmenou, C., & Toepp, S. (2023). Exploring private investigation agencies’ experience of

collaboration with law enforcement in investigations of human trafficking cases.

Societies, 13(2), 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13020044

International Association of Chiefs of Police. (2016). Combating child sex trafficking: a guide

for law enforcement leaders.

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/IACPCOPSCombatingChildSexTraffickingAG

uideforLELeaders.pdf

Office for Victims of Crime. (n.d). OVC Fact Sheet.

https://ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/media/document/HT_Building_Effective

_Collab_fact_sheet-508.pdf
Short List of Training Available to Law Enforcement

National

FLETC: Human Trafficking Awareness Training — Cheltenham, MD and Online

DHS: Blue Campaign Training — Online

IACP: Anti-Human Trafficking Webinars and Training — Online

IACP: Anti-Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance — Online

IACP: Child Sex Trafficking: Tools for Law Enforcement — Online

NHTTAC: SOAR

NHTTAC: Survivor Involvement

OVC: Training and Technical Assistance

COPS: Human Trafficking Resources — Online

IJM: Homepage

Polaris Project: Human Trafficking Training — Online

State and Local

Virginia DCJS: Advanced Investigations into Sex Trafficking: Proactive Operations, Deterrence

and Victim Identification — In-Person

Virginia DCJS: Advanced Human Trafficking Investigation & Prosecution — In-Person