The Importance Of Human Trafficking

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Successfully addressing and combating human trafficking will require many different ways of government agencies working together. Open communication between departments is vital, but another important factor is sharing knowledge. State or federal agencies have greater jurisdiction and access to superior equipment, while the local police departments have intimate knowledge of the street and its people. Within our federal government “higher units of government share revenues and other resources with lower units of government, generally accompanied by special conditions that the lower units must satisfy as prerequisites to receiving the assistance (Shafritz 2012, p.129).” Creating a network to educate, inform, and include each agency will create …show more content…
In Baldacci's “The Forgotten,” Officer Hooper, one of the first police officers encountered by Puller, became very confrontational after learning Puller was in the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Command. Officer Cheryl Landry was familiar with the division because of her brother's military service, and she recognized the emblem when Puller displayed his badge. (Baldacci 2012, p. 57-58) When Puller finally got to the station to discuss the suspicious death of his aunt, he met with Paradise Chief of Police Henry Bullock, who called in verification of his Army credentials immediately. When Puller alluded he thought there was more to his aunt's death than an accidental drowning, the chief responded as though he would rather not speak to him. The chief, rattled by Puller's line of questioning, warned Puller not to enter his aunt's property without prior authorization from his aunt's attorney (Baldacci 2012, p.70). Instead of finding common ground with Puller, the chief elected to agitate an already tempestuous situation. Communication between different agencies can turn sour if one side believes the other is not being respectful. Care must be taken for all involved to remain professional and work together towards a common goal of identifying and reducing instances of human …show more content…
Anne Gannon is the Department of Justice’s National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction. Gannon has worked in many agencies with the same goal in mind: reduction of human trafficking and assistance for victims. Gannon began her career as a law clerk. For nine years Gannon was an assistant U.S. Attorney in the central district of California, responsible for the coordination of child exploitation investigations and prosecution. In 2009 Gannon was named one of the top women litigators in California for her work combating child exploitation (C-SPAN 2013). Along with Gannon, federal, state, local, and tribal officials testified before the Senate on their efforts to combat human trafficking. Causes of human trafficking, techniques to identify victims, assistance and treatment for victims, and the impact on local communities were discussed (C-SPAN 2013). New Jersey Senator Jeff Chiesa eloquently explained the burden upon all government agencies when he stated:
“The war to eradicate human trafficking must be fought on many fronts. It requires the concerted, sustained efforts of law enforcement: federal, state, and local. Intergovernmental cooperation is also essential to success. It requires legislators at every level to provide resources. Law enforcement needs to sustain an effective effort to bring human traffickers to justice (C-SPAN