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0AM4ND AGENDA REPORT
OFf ICE OF
iSIS OCT 3 f Pff I • 0§CITY OF OAKLAND
TO: Sabrina B. Landreth
City Administrator
FROM: Joe DeVries
Assistant to the City
Administrator
SUBJECT: Human Trafficking Report DATE: October 28, 2019 City Administrator Approval
n1 7
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On The Context, Strategies, Goals, Programs, Partnerships, Outcomes And Best Practices To Address Human Trafficking From The Oakland Police Department (Including Focusing On Traffickers And Purchasers; “Rescuing” And Supporting Minors And Supporting Adults; Staff Training; Partnerships With Community Organizations; Collaboration With Other Agencies Including The County And District Attorney); The Human Services Department (Including Violence Prevention; Partnerships With Community Organizations That Serve Impacted Communities); The Administration (Including Licensing Of Massage Parlors And Responding To Reports Of Trafficking); The Office Of Public Works And The Department Of Transportation (Including Environmental Deterrents).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On June 11, 2019, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) presented an informational report on its efforts regarding Human Trafficking to the Public Safety Committee (Attachment A).
Subsequently, Council Members Bas and Gallo submitted a Rules Request for a follow-up report highlighting the work of multiple departments in addressing the problem of Human Trafficking in the City of Oakland (City), recognizing that law enforcement is only one portion of the effort. This report addresses that request and includes the work of the Human Services Department (HSD), the Office of the City Attorney (OCA), the Public Works Department (OPW) City Administrator (CAO), and OPD.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The Public Safety Committee has requested informational reports on OPD’s efforts regarding Human Trafficking at various times in the past three years with a dual focus on the harm to victims of human trafficking as well as the significant safety issues this epidemic creates in certain neighborhoods. The International Boulevard corridor has historically been an area where Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) and the customers (Johns) who seek them create problems that ripple out into the community. Law enforcement efforts have typically been Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 2
highlighted in these informational reports and generally focus on sting operations, enhanced patrolling, coordination with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (ACDO), and neighborhood efforts such as the “Dear John” letter writing campaigns in which vehicles of suspected Johns are tracked and letters are sent to the registered owner about their presence in areas known for prostitution.
However, the full scope of efforts the City is involved in include prevention and intervention strategies that focus on helping the victims as well as targeting internet online advertising and businesses that profit from human exploitation (e.g., massage parlors).
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Department of Human Services
Oakland Unite
As part of the Gender-Based Violence Response Strategy Oakland Unite funding is directed towards interventions that support people experiencing violence and Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). It aims to help survivors meet their immediate safety needs and provides resources that aid them in their journey toward healing and stability.
This is accomplished by using three main approaches: 1) Outreach & Crisis Response, 2) Wraparound Support, and 3) Training. Interventions that serve young people impacted by CSE require safety planning and relationship building to foster trust. Best practices include ensuring CSE survivors involved in program development and implementation. CSE survivors often relapse to exploitation before they permanently leave their exploiters, and interventions must take this cycle into account. Long-term services and supports are essential in addressing the needs of CSE young people and their families or caregivers. The four main providers Oakland Unite contracts with are below:
• Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR www.bawar.org) provides crisis response and stabilization services that help youth transition out of immediate danger. This includes being an advocate for youth when encountering law enforcement, a 24-hour sexual assault hotline, court advocacy, and referral to long-term support services. /
• MISSSEY (Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting & Serving Sexually Exploited Youth - www.missey.org) provides a safe space for youth to stabilize and access resources in their drop-in center, which also provides peer support and groups for youth participants. • Covenant House’s Dream Catcher Youth Services Program provides shelter for homeless youth and recently has opened the doors to Nika’s Place the only CSE youth shelter in Alameda County, which provides temporary shelter, case management, and referrals to additional resources such as employment and education.
• The Young Women’s Freedom Center is part of the Youth Diversion and Life Coaching strategy and will support youth transitioning from the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center by providing intensive Life Coaching which includes advocacy, systems navigation, family engagement, incentives, and socio-emotional skill development. All services are Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 3
informed by and address the trauma experienced by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, and emphasize transformative relationships as a vehicle towards healing.
Priority populations: This sub-strategy within the Gender-Based Violence Response Strategy focuses on youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation, which primarily (though not exclusively) includes women and girls of color, and people who identify as LGBTQI.
Youth up to age 25 who experience CSE are prioritized.
The outcomes that are expected from this investment include:
• Survivors transition out of immediate danger
• Survivors access resources to. increase longer-term safety (e.g. protection orders) • Survivors are not re-injured and/or exploited
• Survivors feel safe and have a positive outlook on their lives • Survivors develop healthy relationships with positive adults and peers • Survivors access tools and knowledge that help them begin to heal from trauma Central public system partners in this strategy include ACDO, the Family Justice Center, OPD, Alameda County Probation Department and Alameda County Healthcare Services Agency. The Oakland Unite Manager is currently a Co-Chair of AC United (a county-wide collaboration focused on anti-trafficking body) with the District Attorney, and helps represent the City’s needs as a regional hub for human trafficking in Alameda County and the Bay Area. BAWAR is located at the Family Justice Center, and through their partnership with OPD serve as advocates for sexually exploited minors engaged by law enforcement. As part of the Youth Diversion and Life Coaching Strategy, the Young Women’s Freedom Center supports youth to complete probation as they transition out the Juvenile Justice Center and connect them to supportive services.
With the passage of Senate Bill - SB 1322, commercially sexually exploited children are no longer criminalized and instead are now brought to the Alameda County Assessment Center when identified by law enforcement. The Assessment Center is run by the Alameda County Healthcare Services Agency.
In addition to Measure Z funds dedicated to CSEC, the City Council has also allocated $100,000 of General Purpose Funds to go towards training for all City employees that have public contact. The training is designed and delivered by a contracted consultant team comprised of West Coast Children’s Clinic, MISSSEY, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and includes two phases: Phase I focuses on CSEC awareness and targets employees in departments with a high frequency of public contact including OPD, Oakland Fire Department (OFD), HSD, Parks, Recreation and Youth Development, Public Library and OPW; Phase II focuses more deeply on the impacts and trauma associated with commercial sexual exploitation and is geared towards first responders within OPD and OFD. Both phases have been completed and the training contract ended September 30, 2019.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 4
Oakland Unite Funded Agencies for Fiscal Year 2019-20
$235,000BAWAR 100 Citywide Crisis Response &
Stabilization
$315,000MISSSEY 200 Citywide Drop-in Center &
Groups_______
$200,000Covenant House-
DreamCatcher
65 City wide Emergency Housing
Young Women’s
Freedom Center
$200,000 Life Coaching40 City wide
Total=$950,Q00 Total=405
Opportunities for Community Trainings
Currently there is no direct funding for community-based trainings around commercial sexual exploitation for residents living in impacted areas. Funding for the Gender-Based Violence strategy is specifically for direct support services for victims and survivors of family violence and commercial sexual exploitation.
However, Oakland Unite recently launched a Community Healing Strategy. This strategy includes a community-led grassroots mini-grant program which is a potential funding source for community-focused healing efforts in areas disproportionately impacted by violence. There is a competitive application process to qualify for and receive a mini-grant, and both individuals and small grassroots organizations are encouraged to apply. The first round of. applications were due in October, 2019, and there will be another round of applications due sometime in the early months of 2020.
The Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY)
OFCY provides grants for direct services to Oakland’s children and youth from birth through 21 years of age, targeting resources to children and youth with the greatest need. OFCY’s Strategic Investment Plan for 2019-2022 was approved by the City Council in November 2018.
The Plan identifies strategies to address the legislated goals of preventing youth involvement in gangs and violence and supporting youth in their transition to a healthy adulthood, and specifically identifies CSEC as a population to be prioritized for services.
OFCY programs address violence prevention and trafficking by supporting youth with holistic, trauma informed and integrated approaches to meet the needs of highly vulnerable youth. Four programs in the new OFCY funding cycle will provide leadership, health, education, and workforce programming to youth 14 to 21 years of age impacted by commercial sexual exploitation. Grant awards support programming at three of the same programs listed above in the Oakland Unite section: MISSSEY’s STAR Leadership Collaborative to serve 20 youth in building advocacy and leadership development skills, research experience and confidence; the DreamCatcher Youth Program to provide 125 unaccompanied minors and homeless youth exposed to violence and trafficking with positive youth development programming to provide opportunities for growth, positive relationships, and healthy development; and the Young Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 5
Women’s Freedom Center’s Sisters on the Rise Program to facilitate 30 opportunity girls/women and Transgender Nonconforming (TGNC) youth who are experiencing deep poverty to receive leadership development training and gain economic stability through hands-on experience in a 9 month paid internship in small business, food service or community organizing in the non profit sector. A fourth program is also being supported by OFCY: The Mentoring Center’s EMERGE educational reentry program for young women ages 15 to 18 who are returning to school from confinement to facilitate reconnection to school, accelerated credit recovery and higher learning and/or permanent employment.
OFCY Funded Agencies for Fiscal Year 2019-20
rvicesAmount
O'
MISSSEY $68,325 20 Citywide Leadership
Development
Covenant House-
DreamCatcher
$51,575 Youth
Development/Skill
Building _____
125 Citywide
Young Women’s
Freedom Center
$162,110 30 Citywide Paid Internships
$60,000The Mentoring
Center
30 Citywide Re-entry Program
Total $342,010 2Q5
City Administrator’s Office Nuisance Abatement and Special Activity Permits Division Commercial sex trafficking often occurs in Illicit Massage Parlors (“IMBs) which masquerade as legitimate massage businesses but, in reality, are profiting off the sale of trafficked women.
While human trafficking is a nationwide crisis, port cities like Oakland are unfortunately major hubs for the criminal enterprises that profit from it.
The Nuisance Abatement and Special Activity Permits Division in the City Administrator’s Office (CAO) issues public nuisance citations to unpermitted massage operations and regulates massage establishments and solo practitioners under OMC 5.36. This work includes collaborating with the OPD and OCA in investigating massage permit applicants and abating unlawful operations administratively.
In the recent past, state law limited local government authority to regulate massage establishments and the CAO’s limited resources prioritized other projects such as legalization of the cannabis industry. However, changes in state law and the addition of two Municipal Code Enforcement Officers have enabled the CAO to proactively investigate unpermitted massage establishments and educate operators on permitting requirements.
The CAO is also exploring potential amendments to the city’s massage permit ordinance to simplify permitting and facilitate inspections of massage facilities.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 6
City Attorney’s Office
Combatting sex trafficking is one of the Neighborhood Law Corps’ (“NLC”) top priorities. NLC attorneys bring lawsuits to shut down IMBs and penalize traffickers and landlords who profit from IMBs. They pursue legal action against landlords and operators under the following statutes and ordinances:
o Red Light Abatement Act, California Penal Code section 11225 et seq.\ o Public Nuisance, California Civil Code sections 3479 and 3480; and o Oakland Massage Establishment and Massage Therapist regulations, Oakland Municipal Code sections 5.36 and 1.08 etseq.
NLC attorneys work closely with the OPD, Code Enforcement, and the CAO to disrupt the human trafficking industry.
o Code Enforcement inspects massage businesses suspected of code violations, o CAO issues administrative citations to massage businesses engaging in nuisance activity.
o OPD VICE Unit conducts investigations and undercover operations at massage businesses with a reputation in the community for soliciting sex. o Neighborhood Law Corps (NLC) attorneys bring lawsuits to shut down IMBs that cater to or profit from the sexual exploitation of women.
The NLC also works with the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) to protect legitimate masseuses from Unwanted propositions and pursues those who abuse their licenses to promote sex trafficking.
Although trafficking at IMBs persists, the OC A has closed about 25 massage parlors and spas to date where police investigations found evidence of trafficking. Most of these closures were the direct result of NLC lawsuits or demand letters sent to the property owners. These cases have also resulted in settlements and fines against defendants plus several permanent injunctions barring defendants from owning or operating massage-related businesses in the City. .
Public Works/Department of Transportation
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) efforts can often make a street, intersection, alleyway, or park less attractive to illicit activity and this includes human trafficking.
Using better streetlighting, traffic control measures, and other methods can be deployed as needed and with input from OPD based on an assessment of a hot spot. Both the Department of Transportation which maintains street lights and roadways and the Public Works Department which maintains public spaces including city parks are able to provide CPTED enhancements if funding is identified and an assessment indicates a suitable intervention.
OPD: Enforcement Activity and Coordination with the District Attorney The Vice and Child Exploitation (VCE) Unit currently consists of one sergeant and four officer/investigator positions. The VCE unit is responsible for the several trafficking-related functions. Firstly, VCE investigates all human trafficking crimes (both adults and juveniles) and Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 7
rescues juveniles involved ip human trafficking (on average about 30 juveniles are rescued annually during proactive unit operations; this activity does not include the rescues coming separately from police area patrol activity). VCE also investigates all child exploitation crimes, primarily child pornography and internet Crimes against children. The Unit also investigates labor trafficking crimes.
The VCE Unit proactively generates and work cases via undercover prostitution operations, internet operations, tips, referrals, etc. (averaging 56 operations per year over the past four years). The Unit conducts and participates in human trafficking training for community advocates and OPD personnel - including POST-certified (California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training) OPD “Undercover Prostitution Course,” annual OPD sworn personnel Continuing Professional Training (CPT), patrol lineup trainings, and training of local businesses to be aware of signs of human trafficking.
OPD: Human Trafficking Enforcement Operations
“Trolling” operations are street level operations where male undercover officers contact suspected prostitutes on the streets of Oakland and attempt to solicit prostitution. The goals of trolling operations include:
• Locate juvenile victims of human trafficking;
• Arrest suspects who are driving the demand for human trafficking; • Arrest exploiters who are trafficking the victims; and • Respond to community concerns and complaints regarding street level prostitution.
Trolling operations are most effective at locating juveniles involved in human trafficking. These operations deter human trafficking and show Oakland communities that OPD is working to alleviate community concerns regarding street level prostitution in their neighborhoods. These operations also serve to help deter other crimes occurring in the area (e.g. shootings, robberies) which may more easily thrive in areas with human trafficking.
Undercover officers use websites known for prostitution and attempt to locate suspected minors involved in hotel and online-based human trafficking. The subjects are then contacted and solicited for prostitution. They are given a location to meet to complete the act and are taken into custody upon their arrival. The goals of VCE Unit operations focused on deterring hotel and online-based human trafficking are: 1) Rescue minors involved in human trafficking; and 2) Arrest those involved in their exploitation. These types of operations have several benefits.
Firstly, they can be very target-specific. The unit can directly focus on juveniles found to be advertised online. Also, there is a higher likelihood of locating and arresting the exploiter as they transport the victim.
OPD’s VCE Unit also targets illicit businesses that pose as legitimate businesses but are involved in potential human trafficking (e.g. massage parlors). The Unit identifies and arrests those involved in illegal activity at the businesses. The Unit also assists OCA and CAO with abatement of illicit massage businesses in the City. Furthermore, the Unit also responds to citizen concerns and complaints regarding these illicit businesses in the community which bring additional crimes and nuisances into their neighborhoods. Over 20 illicit massage businesses have been shut down in the past four years through undercover operations and investigations, Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 8
with the City awarded over $700,000 in fines from the property and business owners of these illicit businesses.
There are several additional benefits to targeting illicit businesses involved in trafficking (besides the primary benefits of rescuing minors involved in human trafficking and arresting those involved in the illicit activity. The closure of this activity also deters other crimes that may otherwise occur more frequently in the area (e.g., sexual assault, robbery, prostitution). These operations also hold property owners accountable for ensuring that their community does not have to suffer from negative repercussions of these illegal businesses operating out of their buildings. Furthermore, this type of enforcement supports a fairer playing field and greater safety for legitimate area businesses.
OPD: Coordination with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (ACDO) OPD has collaborated with ACDO to seek out new and innovative ways to decrease the demand for human trafficking. Some ideas that have been discussed include utilizing penal code section 653.22(a) “Loitering for Prostitution” to arrest suspects who are seen driving in areas of high prostitution and participating in behavior or actions that clearly demonstrate they are intent on committing prostitution. Such behavior includes:
• Repeatedly beckons to, stops, engages in conversation with, or attempts to stop or engage in conversations with passersby, indicative of soliciting prostitution; and • Circling an area in a motor vehicle and repeatedly beckons to, contacts, or attempts to contact or stop pedestrians, indicative of soliciting prostitution.
OPD and ACDO are also looking at placing men who are arrested for solicitation of prostitution on S.O.A.P (Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution) probation so that if observed or contacted in these zones, their probation status can be violated.
OPD: Coordination with Oakland Unite Providers
Oakland Unite staff have a relationship with OPD’s Special Victim’s Section (SVS) which is familiar with the landscape of services for CSEC, including Oakland Unite’s funded agencies. In some cases, the SVS has direct working relationships with those agencies. OU staff have work closely with SVS command staff and the Lieutenant who oversees SVS, is currently on the steering committee for AC United.
Currently, BAWAR works directly with OPD as sexually exploited minor advocates. OPD will call BAWAR to support during special operations. BAWAR is also located in the Alameda County Family Justice Center (FJC) along with law enforcement. MISSSEY is located at the Alameda County Assessment Center, where CSE youth are taken when encountered by law enforcement. Covenant House’s DreamCatcher and the newly opened Nikka’s Place are potential alternative housing options for CSE youth who do not want to go to the Assessment Center.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 9
FISCAL IMPACT
This is an informational report and has no fiscal impact.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No Public Outreach was conducted in the preparation of this report.
COORDINATION
The City Administrator’s Office coordinated with the Human Services Department, the Police Department, the Public Works Department, the Department of Transportation, and the Office of the City Attorney to produce this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic. There are no Economic Opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no Environmental Opportunities associated with this report.
Social Equity: Human Trafficking and sexual exploitation often predominantly impacts victims from low-income and disadvantaged communities. Efforts to confront and combat this activity help to restore greater levels of social equity in Oakland.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: Human Trafficking Report
Date: October 28, 2019 Page 10
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff recommends that the City Council receive an Informational Report on The Context, Strategies, Goals, Programs, Partnerships, Outcomes and Best Practices to Address Human Trafficking From The Oakland Police Department (including focusing on traffickers and purchasers; “rescuing” and supporting minors and supporting adults; staff training; partnerships with community organizations; collaboration with other agencies including the County and District Attorney); The Human Services Department (including violence prevention; partnerships with community organizations that serve impacted communities); The Administration (including licensing of massage parlors and responding to reports of trafficking); The Office of Public Works and the Department of Transportation (including environmental deterrents).
For questions regarding this report, please contact Joe DeVries, Assistant to the City Administrator, at 510-238-3083.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe DeVries
Assistant to the City Administrator
City Administrator’s Office
Prepared by:
Peter Kim, Oakland Unite
Sara Serin-Christ, Oakland Unite
Sandy Taylor, Human Service Department
Maria Bee, City Attorney’s Office
Greg Minor, City Administrator’s Office
Bruce Stoffmacher, OPD
Item:
Public Safety Committee
November 12, 2019
fir
-
AGENDA REPORTCITY OF OAKL
M W#§°PM 4:01.
TO: Sabrina B. Landreth
City Administrator
FROM: Anne E. Kirkpatrick
Chief of Police
SUBJECT: OPD Response to Human Trafficking DATE: May 19, 2019 Report
2*
City Administrator Approval Date:.
7/
RECOMMENDATtON
Staff Recommends The City Council Receive An Informational Report From The Oakland Police Department (OPD) Regarding Response To Human Trafficking In The City of Oakland.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report is provided in response to a request from the Rules and Legislation Committee regarding human trafficking in Oakland. OPD’s human trafficking prevention efforts are centered in the department's Special Victims Section (SVS) and Vice/Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) within SVS. CEU is dedicated to confronting human trafficking which occurs regularly in Oakland. SVS is tasked with rescuing the mostly female and often child victims of human trafficking and working with community partners to serve the victims receiving services.
SVS trains its personnel, as well as regional partners, in how best to work together to help victims and expose the exploiters. SVS operations require the use of overtime compensation as SVS lacks the dedicated personnel to staff accordingly for time-intensive operations.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The primary mission of OPD’s Special Victims Section is to rescue juveniles from human trafficking and provide adult victims with resources to help them make significant life changes while finding a balance to address the quality of life issues regarding prostitution impact to neighborhoods and the community. The CEU's objective is to rescue all sexually exploited minors while still:
• Arresting those responsible for exploiting the minors including pimps, prostitutes and buyers.
• Addressing community concerns pertaining to the prostitution impact throughout the city. • Providing service opportunities for all victims of human trafficking, • Addressing, communicating and investigating all aspects of human trafficking in a trauma informed and sensitive manner.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
February 28, 2017
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: OPD Response to Human Trafficking Report
Date: May 19, 2019_____________________ Page 2
OPD Human Trafficking subject matter experts and Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) advocates conduct initial officer training in the police academy and annually at patrol line up briefings. OPD training consists of awareness, what to look for, how to interact with minors suspected of being involved in human trafficking, do’s & don’ts in a preliminary investigation, importance of patience and consideration of all parties (victims, exploiters and buyers). OPD's Vice/CEU train external agencies, promote human trafficking awareness, and develop operational procedures.
The City mandates city employees attend the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) training presented by MISSSEY (Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting & Serving Sexually Exploited Youth), West Coast Clinic and the Alameda District Attorney’s Office’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking program (HEAT). OPD Vice/CEU cross trains with several non-governmental organizations focused on fighting human trafficking: BAWAR, Dream Catchers, MISSSEY and other advocacy partners. These organizations share information and collaborate with each other.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
CEU Procedures
Combating human trafficking is one of OPD’s top priorities. Areas of operation are prioritized by citizen complaints and reports. The Vice/CEU is a specialized unit with advanced training in human trafficking and trauma informed investigations. CEU works with BAWAR as the first responder advocate during operations and juvenile interviews. Officers work in undercover capacities during the operations under the guidelines of General Order K-10, Undercover Operations. Adult females arrested in a pro-active operation are given resources and debriefed.
They are encouraged to work with advocates to seek opportunities for a different lifestyle.
There are follow-up services and diversion programs for those charged. Juveniles rescued during pro-active operations are provided an advocate. The follow-up investigations are specifically geared toward the needs of the individual child.
Training
All trainings are designed to aid employees in the recognition of the signs of human trafficking and to promote a trauma informed response to such incidents, including dispatched calls for service (e.g. domestic violence and disputes). Specifically, OPD training incorporates situational awareness and signs of human trafficking, how to interact with minors suspected involved in human trafficking, do’s & don’ts in a preliminary investigation, while stressing the importance of patience and a deeper understanding of the role of all involved parties (victims, exploiters and buyers). OPD training has shown to be successful - see awareness in reports with cross reports to Vice/CEU. More human trafficking reports were generated by Patrol and there was an increase in human trafficking call outs in 2018.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
June 11, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: OPD Response to Human Trafficking Report
Date: May 19, 2019___________________ Page 3
Challenges of Confronting Human Trafficking in Oakland
The following factors affect Vice/CEU’s ability to effectively respond to human trafficking:
• Locating juveniles involved in human trafficking. •
• Advocates do not want Female Adults arrested for prostitution. • Identifying strategies to hold Buyers accountable through prosecution. • Decriminalizing juveniles detained for prostitution offenses created the following issues:
o Rescued Juveniles who are wards of the court must go to the Assessment Center.
o Rescued juveniles tend to run away before they can obtain trauma informed services and often relocate with their previous or new exploiter. o Juveniles no longer in a secured environment
o Assessment Center location are eventually identified and exploiters prey on juveniles who come and go, from the facility/home.
o Lack of a secured environment inhibits the ability to provide sustained specialized resources to de-program the mindset and distance juveniles from ' their trauma.
o Lack of a secured environment makes the investigation of their exploiters more difficult.
• Finding the balance between enforcing prostitution laws, providing services to victims and community expectations.
• Holding buyers accountable without utilizing undercover female officers as decoys. o Extreme high risk to utilizing decoy officers in an enterprise that has become increasing violent.
o District Attorney position for prosecution of buyers is difficult to achieve without usage of undercover officer decoys.
• Closure of the Backpage website has forced prostitution back on the streets which is evident by our increase in juvenile street rescues.
• Operations are on overtime due to staffing and caseloads.
Community Partnership
Vice/CEU personnel regularly engage the public through a variety of formats to promote the challenges of human trafficking, Personnel attend CSEC meetings with Oakland United Against Human Trafficking and various partners. Additionally, the District Attorney’s Office conducted CSEC training and awareness with hospitals and clinics. This has led to additional OPD trainings with clinics.
OPD’s Prostitution tip line ((510) 238-2373) allows the community to anonymously report prostitution activity in their neighborhood. Additionally, the community-created website (www.reportjohn.org) allows people to anonymously report the buyer's license plate number. In such cases, police then send a letter to the registered vehicle owners. The letter states that the vehicle was in an area where prostitution and other public nuisances is known to occur. The purpose of the letter is to let the buyer know they are not anonymous, people notice and there is a website for human trafficking awareness. However, the citizen who ran this web base has stepped down and no replacement has volunteered as of now to maintain full functionality.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
June 11, 2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: OPD Response to Human Trafficking Report
Date: May 19, 2019 _________ ____________ Page 4
General Review of the monthly Operations
The following information provides a view into the level of activity and capacity of the Special Victims Section’s (SVS) Vice/CEU:
• Vice/CEU conducts approximately 2-4 pro-active operations a month. • Approximately one juvenile is rescued per operation.
• Location of operations is determined by community complaints, tips and institutional knowledge of areas of prostitution.
• Majority of the adult females arrested are not from Oakland., Oakland and other major cities are part of mobile prostitution circuit; the females and pimps move from city to city to reduce risk of incarceration, evaluate the most prosperous demand levels and to avoid collaborative prosecution across jurisdictions. The Vice/CEU conducted a 30-Day Operation which in a snapshot demonstrates the magnitude of this issue.
Vice/CEU conducted 12 operations in a 30-Day period. These operations were complaint- driven. The following data is based on that 30-day operation. • 94 adult females arrested (35 from Oakland, 59 from outside cities, 3 were out of state). • 14 Juvenile Females were rescued (3 Oakland, 11 Outside cities, 3 were out of state) On average, two to four operations are conducted in a month’s period unless a specialized intense operation is planned and executed. A 30-day plan requires extensive funding expenditures and personnel resources across the department.
Statistical Data for 2019 (Jan-Apr)
• Conducted 12 pro-active operations
• 104 adult females were arrested: 47 Oakland, 53 Outside cities, 4 were out of state • 7 juvenile females were rescued: 4 Oakland, 3 Outside cities, 1 was out of state • Juvenile ages: (2) 15yr, (1) 14yr and (4) 13yr.
• 1 male adult buyer was arrested: 1 Outside city
• 7 male adult exploiters were arrested: 6 Oakland and 1 Outside city Year End Successes
• In 2018, 30 Juveniles were rescued in 39 operations
• In 2017, 12 Juvenile were rescued in 48 operations
• Patrol Division is actively conducting more human trafficking reports than past years • More advocacy groups and health care facilities are partnering with the OPD • Vice/CEU is part of a working group with other law enforcement and share information Vice & Child Exploitation Unit (Vice/CEU) Annual Data
Vice / Child Exploitation Unit
20162014 20172015 2018No. Investigators 3 3 4 43
Total Cases Assigned: 306 511 396620 498
Assigned Cases per
Investigator:
102 170 99208 125
Item:
Public Safety Committee
June 11,2019
Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: OPD Response to Human Trafficking Report
Date: May 19, 2019_________________________ Page 5
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No public outreach was necessary in the production of this report. However, as detailed below in the Social Equity Section, OPD’s efforts at confronting human trafficking concerns many Oakland residents and visitors who have an interest in public safety and child exploitation.
FISCAL IMPACT
An average trafficking operation costs between $5,000 to $10,000 dollars depending on the number of juveniles rescued, their level of cooperation at the time and if an exploiter (pimp) was arrested A major 30-Day operation costs approximately $40,000 ih overtime for SVS staff. In 2018, SVS generated a total of $229,946 in overtime costs related to human trafficking operations.
Proactive operations come out of the Special Victims Section (SVS) general fund budget; this fund does not provide enough funding to consistently and aggressively address the issues of human trafficking. SVS operations are therefore carried out by using overtime for personnel, due to the lack of assigned personnel.
The activity of the Vice/CEU Unit does occasionally result in the City’s General Fund receiving compensation through successful lawsuits. An investigation into massage parlor operations allowed the city to close several illegal massage parlors. In 2017-2018, litigations cumulatively awarded $827,000 in revenue to the City’s General-Purpose Fund.
COORDINATION
No interdepartmental activity was required in the production of this report i
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Social Equity: Human trafficking and sexual exploitation often predominantly impacts victims from low income and disadvantaged communities. Efforts to confront and combat this criminal activity help to restore greater levels of social equity in Oakland.
Item:
Public Safety Committee
June 11, 2019
-Sabrina B. Landreth, City Administrator
Subject: OPD Response to Human Trafficking Report
Date: May 19, 2019 ___________________ Page 6
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report From The Oakland Police Department (OPD) Regarding Response To Human Trafficking In The City of Oakland.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Jill Encinias, Lieutenant of Police, Criminal Investigation Division, Special Victims Section, at (510) 238-3253.
Respectfully submitted,
Anne E. Kirkpatrick
Chief of Police
Oakland Police Department
Reviewed by:
Bruce Stoffmacher, Acting Police Services Manager
OPD, Training Division, Research and Planning
Prepared by:
Jill Encinias, Lieutenant, Police Services Manager
OPD, Special Victims Unit (SVU)
Item:
Public Safety Committee
June 11, 2019