OUR OCTOBER MEETING featured Master Deputy Jeffrey Merry and the Hillsborough County Task Force on Human Trafficking.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has a dedicated Human Trafficking Squad, which partners with other local, state, and federal agencies to combat human trafficking.
The task force uses various tactics, including undercover stings and online operations, to arrest traffickers and rescue victims.
The Survivor Services team presented the Task Force with 20 rescue backpacks for their use as they rescue victims of human trafficking.
The Survivor Services Rescue Backpack program provides backpacks with 33 items a newly rescued victim of human trafficking will need
while an assessment and safe placement can be arranged.
The backpacks cost approximately $55 and, as of this October, they have prepared over 1,500 rescue packs and provided them to HT shelters. law enforcement, and organizations that rescue victims to provide safe shelter and a recovery program.