On Aug. 6, Orange County law enforcement, transportation officials and the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force will hold a joint news conference to discuss the growing problem of human trafficking and efforts to put an end to the crime through strict enforcement and community partnerships.
Third District Supervisor and OCTA Director Todd Spitzer, OCTA CEO Darrell Johnson, and Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens are expected to attend the event, which will be held at OCTA headquarters. OCTA will discuss the launch of its “Be The One” public awareness campaign and its coach operator training program, which provides assistance to victims and those who spot crimes.
The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, founded and administrated by the nonprofit organization Community Service Programs, will release its 2014 Human Trafficking Victim Report. A key finding is that the number of perpetrators of human trafficking crimes in Orange County doubled between 2011 and 2013. On average, eight new human trafficking victims are identified each month in Orange County and nearly half of all victims are minors.
The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration to combat the issue, involving law enforcement, non-profit agencies, victim service providers, faith-based groups and the larger community, including agencies such as OCTA.
