(Cushing, Okla.) Today, Monday, July 12, 2010, the Cushing Police Department, in partnership with the Oklahoma Regional Community Policing Institute, hosted a training seminar for state and area law enforcement officers on Human Trafficking. The course was instructed by Mark Elam, Coalition Director of Oklahomans Against Trafficking Humans, and Mary Gibbons, Stillwater Domestic Violence Services. The course was hosted at Spirit Bank.
Think Human Trafficking does not happen? Think again! Millions each day face forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Did you know:
•2.2 million Children are trafficked annually? (United Nations 2009)
•Human trafficking is a $32 billion dollar industry, second largest criminal activity in the world. (Not for Sale by David Blackstone)
•Currently more than one million children are involved in sex trafficking in the U.S. (University of Pennsylvania study, 2002)
•America is now considered to be the #1 destination for child sex trafficking. (State Department Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2008)
•300,000 U.S. kids at risk to commercial sexual exploitation every year in America. (National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, 2009)
“While there has been no evidence of children or adults being trafficked in our community, I believe it was prudent to bring this training to Cushing,” Chief Terry Brannon said. “Exposure to this type of training broadens our knowledge base as a department in the event we are every challenged to confront this dark reality,” Brannon said.
Agencies participating in the training today, which included 5 Cushing police officers, included the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Stillwater Police Department, Payne and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, and the Creek and Tulsa County D.A.’s Office. In addition to law enforcement, one member of Cushing’s faith based community attended the morning session.
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