Annual Report FY 2022-2023

Proactive and victim-centered: OC Sheriff remains dedicated to ending human trafficking

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

H uman trafficking may not look like you think it does, so it is important to understand what it is and what you can do to report it. No community is immune to the impacts of human trafficking, but we have dedicated personnel who work hard every day to identify criminal activity in our community, offer services to victims and hold offenders accountable. The Human Trafficking and Vice Unit is a proactive team that conducts undercover operations, investigates the proliferation of human trafficking online and executes demand-reduction operations. They are experts in their field and consistently see results from their relentless investigative work. In FY '22-'23, they conducted multiple successful investigations, which included rescuing eight victims who had been reported missing, including four juveniles. The team applies a victim-centered approach to these cases, which means partnering with service providers and nonprofits to offer every victim resources and support. Over the last fiscal year, the Human Trafficking and Vice Unit was honored for their work in the county’s largest multi-agency human trafficking enforcement operation — Operation Red Zone. The Orange

Human Trafficking cases 46 36 Felony Arrests

11

Recovered juveniles

The Human Trafficking and Vice Unit FY ‘22 - ‘23 statistics

orange county sheriff’s department

28