A number of new laws passed in the 2022 Legislature go into effect today. One will require all law enforcement officers to be trained in how to recognize signs of human trafficking. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell brought the bill and says it’s apparent the training is needed, and it will now be required for all LEO’s employed a year or more. Mizell says, “whether it’s the sheriff’s department, whether it’s the local police…they’ll have had the training and the ability to recognize it.”
Law enforcement has known for some time the I-10/I-12 corridor is a pipeline for human sex trafficking. Mizell says it can easily go unnoticed, especially in places or events with large crowds, but the problem is also very bad in some of Louisiana’s small towns as well. She says it coincides with the illegal drug trade.
“Children have been a financial trade in order for family members or drug dealers to benefit from that exchange, so it’s a really dirty, dirty thing.”
The new law will mandate training for officers in how to spot the sometimes subtle telltale signs that a person is a victim of trafficking, so they can take appropriate action. Mizell says the law also requires state and local law enforcement agencies to regularly report on training compliance and progress.
“That’s the concern. I find we pass a lot of bills, and then without follow-through, you don’t know if anything is happening with it. So, there is a component in the bill where they will report back on the numbers on that.”
The law takes effect today, and Mizell says the specified training should start right away.
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