COMMUNITY UPDATE:
EAST HOLT STRATEGIC PLAN
Presented by:
Police Chief Michael Ellis
ATTACHMENT NO. 1
Enhancing Public Safety: A Comprehensive
Approach to Human Trafficking and
Prostitution
The City of Pomona and its Police Department are committed to addressing the challenges of human trafficking and prostitution in our community. This presentation outlines our strategic plan to combat these issues through targeted interventions, environmental designs, enforcement, and community outreach. We will explore progress, immediate goals and actions, and long-term solutions.
Significant progress has been made since the initial 2019 East Holt Ave Strategic Plan was introduced, including:
• Deployment of a full-time Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team (SETT), providing specialized support and enforcement in the area
• Creation of a SETT Liaison Program
• Collaboration with prosecutors and law enforcement partners • Installation of surveillance cameras at key locations along the Holt Corridor* • Creation of a Real Time Information Center (RTIC) that employs a citywide camera network • Drafting related ordinances
• Active motel abatement program
* These surveillance cameras have led to identifying several victims of human trafficking, sex purchasers, and potential exploiters.
Progress Since Initial
Assessment
Progress: Implemented anti-criminal activity signage
Provides additional opportunities to stop and identify sex purchasers, creating a stronger deterrent effect.
Progress: Infrastructure Improvements: Lighting*
1 Dual Benefits
Improved lighting helps deter prostitution-related activities and enhances overall traffic safety.
2 LED Upgrades
Increasing lighting levels and retrofitting current bulbs with high-output LED lights provides better visibility while reducing long-term energy costs. 3 Strategic Placement
Focusing lighting improvements in identified hotspots maximizes crime deterrence and public safety.
* LED Lightening has been installed in some portions of the Holt Ave Corridor.
Progress: Developing Strategic Partnerships
Project Resilience
Led by Stephanie Zepeda, PR provides
support services for victims of human
trafficking and exploitation.
Additional Partnerships
These organizations focus on education and prevention of human trafficking. Their expertise enhances our
community awareness efforts, victim support, and victim identification protocols.
We collaborate to ensure victims receive appropriate care and resources.
Progress: Public Awareness - Community Engagement
1 Handout Materials
We create and distribute informational materials to educate the community about human trafficking and prostitution, including how to identify potential victims and report suspicious activity.
2 Area Commander Meetings
Area Commanders ensure consistent messaging across all Council districts, while providing opportunities for community feedback.
3 Community Forums
We host and participate in community forums to discuss concerns, share information, and develop collaborative solutions with residents and stakeholders.
Social Media Collaboration
Our department's Social Media team educates the public about human trafficking and prostitution through regular, informative content. "John" Accountability
Registered owners of vehicles seen engaging in prostitution related activity are mailed a photograph and a formal letter to deter repeat behavior.
Progress: Public Awareness - Social Media
Arrest Notifications
The names of those arrested during targeted law enforcement operations are posted online, along with the city they are from.
Statistical data for 2019 through February 17, 2026
Statistical data for 2019 through February 19, 2026
CITATIONS ISSUED FOR PEDESTRIAN
IN THE ROADWAY (21954 VC)
We have developed strategies to not only expand on the original Strategy recommendations, but also offer additional solutions to reduce activity related to prostitution in the E. Holt Ave Corridor.
The immediate focus remains:
• Expanding the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team (SETT) to provide round the clock coverage, ensuring sustained enforcement and direct engagement • Community education campaigns on human trafficking versus prostitution • Further collaboration with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Immediate Goals &
Actions
Increased Patrols*
Maintain directed enforcement efforts in identified hotspots, ensuring a visible police presence during peak activity times to deter criminal behavior.
Strategic Enforcement Methods
Conduct regular undercover operations and high visibility enforcement to prevent criminal activity before it occurs.
Data-Driven Deployment
Consistently analyze crime data to identify emerging patterns and strategically allocate officers based on current trends and needs.
Technology Use
Identify perpetrators and facilitate enforcement action through the use of surveillance tools such as license plate readers, RTIC cameras, and Drone as a First Responder Program.
Intermediate Goals & Actions:
Enforcement
* An important consideration when increasing enforcement is that there must still be a focus on human trafficking. Therefore, we prioritize identification and assistance for potential human trafficking victims.
Long-term objectives center on ensuring sustained improvements on the Holt Corridor and developing broader solutions to the ongoing prostitution issues. Key initiatives will include:
• Investigate the legality of implementing a Public Decency Ordinance and/or geographic specific trespassing ordinance
• Further collaboration with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to ensure enforcement and probation terms are strategically applied • Continued enhancements to infrastructure, such as roadway restriping and installing additional lighting in high-traffic areas
• Further enhancement of the department’s RTIC program
• Expanding surveillance camera coverage to increase the visibility of law enforcement, providing further deterrents to criminal activity
• Expanding partnerships with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders to further amplify the efforts to reduce criminal activities and offer support to victims Long-Term Goals
We will continue with the current plan to identify and target problem businesses within the City of Pomona, particularly along the E. Holt Corridor.
Long-Term Goals: Motel Abatement Strategy
Passport Inn – 130 E. Holt Ave
Pala Motel – 987 E. Holt Ave
Super Inn – 975 W. Holt Ave
Deluxe Motel – 915 W. Holt Ave
Abatement Locations:
• SB 357 | "Safer Streets for All Act”
In 2022, the crime of soliciting to commit prostitution (653.22 PC) was repealed at the State level. This greatly affected our ability to detain and investigate individuals engaging in prostitution and human trafficking. It also resulted in a reduction of juvenile “rescues”.
Amendments to SB 357 failed until January 1, 2026 when AB 379 came into effect.
AB 379 creates Penal Code section 653.25, which makes it a misdemeanor to loiter with the intent to purchase sex and imposes felony penalties on adults who solicit sex from a juvenile. • Penal Code 314 | Indecent Exposure
Based on legal precedent in the U.S., sex workers cannot be arrested for simply dressing provocatively because clothing choices are a protected form of free expression under the First Amendment. An arrest for public indecency requires specific actions or provable intent beyond a person's attire.
Challenges
• AB 1475 & AB 994 | Booking Photos
California law prevents police agencies from publicizing booking photos of individuals arrested for nonviolent crimes on social media. Photos can only be posted if the suspect is a fugitive, poses an imminent threat to public safety, or there is a specific, urgent law enforcement purpose.
• Former LA District Attorney George Gascon Directives
Former LADA George Gascon issued directives not to file any prostitution related criminal charges. The lack of cases being filed increased prostitution related activity across LA County, including Pomona. Sex workers and sex purchasers did not fear legal consequences for their actions.
Challenges
Recommendations to significantly impact human trafficking related issues:
❑ Increase SETT from 2 officers to 8 officers
- expand coverage from 4 days a week (10 hours a day) to 7 days a week (20 hours a day) - current cost for 2 SETT officers = $392,208
- cost for 6 additional officers = $1,176,624
❑ Acquire additional funding to increase city-wide camera network - expand live video coverage along the Holt Ave Corridor ❑ Increase RTIC staffing from 4 to 6 professional staff members - expand coverage from 4 days a week to 7 days a week
Future Considerations