ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - People in the trucking and busing industries are meeting in St. Paul to learn how to spot and respond to suspected human trafficking.
The training sessions began Tuesday and involve about 100 law enforcement officials, Minnesota Public Radio reported .
Truckers are in a good position to observe victims while working, said Esther Goetsch, a coalition build specialist with Truckers Against Trafficking.
Truckers will train to identify if a possible trafficking victim is under another person’s control or is being coerced, Goetsch said. Attendees will also learn about human trafficking from police officers, prosecutors and trafficking survivors.
“Trained, equipped and empowered to recognize the signs of human trafficking and then to report it to law enforcement, they will continue to save lives,” Goetsch said.
All 25 workers at the Minnesota Trucking Association are trained to recognize and report human trafficking, said Kevin Otto, chairman of the association.
“As truckers we are trained to observe, as truckers we are always watching,” Otto said. “We see more, and as truckers we want to help people.”
Law enforcement officials will also learn how to respond to trafficking reports and how to interact with victims.
Minnesota received more than 170 reports of human trafficking last year.
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Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mprnews.org
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