By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Human trafficking is a growing problem, even in Missouri, even in St. Joseph.
St. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally it is very difficult to investigate and even more difficult to prosecute those involved in human trafficking. And, according to Connally, too often the victims won’t cooperate.
“It’s a complicated subject and it’s a complicated matter, because when you’re dealing with victims of human trafficking a lot of times, they don’t think of themselves as victims,” Connally tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.
Connally says various methods are used to strike at the root of the problem, including informing landlords that criminal activity might be taking place in their buildings.
He says it’s hard to fight against it, because those involved know how to elude police.
“They can be very complicated now with the Internet and crossing state lines,” Connally says, adding some who traffic prostitutes make it difficult for police to investigate, let alone make any arrests. “They may be in one city with something set up for a week here and another city the following week or two weeks (later). Like I said, it’s a pretty complicated, in-depth subject.”
Connally serves on the Missouri Human Trafficking Task Force.
“Over the last two years we’ve made a lot of strides in Missouri. Some of it deals with awareness,” Connally says. “And trafficking isn’t just sex trafficking, it’s also labor trafficking, whether that’s construction labor in some cases or labor as far as selling drugs.”
Serving with Connally on the statewide task force is St. Joseph Sgt. Jason Strong. The task force works within the state Attorney General’s office.
The St. Joseph group, Break Every Chain, works with law enforcement to come to the aid of the victims of human trafficking.