Arizona transportation officials say they’re keeping tabs on human trafficking in the state and conducting more training to keep these crimes from taking place.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is continuing to enlist its officers to look out for signs of these crimes at the state’s ports of entry with personnel from the Enforcement and Compliance Division.
Training in this area was implemented for officers in 2019 to get them to understand the prevalence of these crimes, which affect 25 million people globally, according to the Department of Justice.
The group — made up partially of certified law enforcement officers — is assigned to the ports mainly to focus on commercial vehicle safety by collecting fees and enforcing truck weight limits but is also keeping its eye on defending against human trafficking, ADOT said.
Some of the signs of these crimes, ADOT said, are finding people with unusual tattoos, the person’s unwillingness to speak to officer and those carrying large amounts of cash without being able to provide an explanation.
There are dozens of vehicles driven by division officers with bumper stickers to maybe direct someone who is in trouble to endsextrafficking.az.gov or 888-373-7888, to provide resources offered through the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family, ADOT said.
ADOT is furthering its mission by developing online training that can be disbursed to the department’s highway workers, so they will be able to spot any telltale signs of human trafficking.
For Tucson’s Sun Tran, it will be using a $221,100 grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s “Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Awareness Initiative”.
“Traffickers move their victims on all modes of transportation, and sometimes use public transit due to its low cost, greater anonymity in buying fare cards, and less direct interaction with government or transit officials,” a Sun Tran statement said.
The company serves approximately 15 million passenger trips annually and it will allow them to implement solutions “to reduce human trafficking, protect transit operators from the risk of assault, and reduce crime on public transit vehicles,” the company said.
There will be more eyes focusing on the three city transit centers to watch for human trafficking activity and report other criminal behavior with hopes of increasing safety.
Personnel training will help them identify signs of human trafficking and proper ways to report it to law enforcement. This training will come to all Tucson transit operators, the company said. It will also partner with the Arizona Transit Administration to help train other transportation service providers.
“The federal government successfully worked with the trucking industry to increase awareness and reporting of human trafficking incidents. Now they are looking to create a similar effort with select transit systems. With the support from our partners and the community, this is an opportunity for Sun Tran to enhance public safety in Tucson,” said Steve Spade, Sun Tran’s general manager.
Sun Tran will promote a public awareness campaign following the trainings with the aim of educating the public about recognizing human trafficking activities.
To bolster responses to these types of crimes, Tucson Police Department’s Special Crimes Unit will work with Sun Tran transit management “to strengthen reporting protocol, collaborate on the training to all transit staff, and investigate suspected human trafficking activity,” Sun Tran said.
Down the Road
Broadway project restrictions: On Tuesday, both directions of Campbell Avenue will be shifted east of East Broadway to allow crews to install a new water line.
Crews will begin installing the water line on the west side of the intersection at 4 a.m. and will complete it Wednesday.
When the work reaches the east side of the intersection, Campbell will be shifted to the west side of the road by 4 a.m. Wednesday. Crews are scheduled to complete the work by Saturday, Feb. 20.
During the work, two travel lanes in each direction on Campbell will be open. Left turns will not be allowed for motorists traveling from Campbell to Broadway.
I-10, Ruthrauff project restrictions: Motorists using Interstate 10 near Ruthrauff Road should expect overnight delays Monday due to drainage work.
By 8 p.m., I-10 will be reduced to two lanes in each direction. I-10 will then be reduced to a single lane between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Photos: Tucson Roadrunners win season opener against San Jose Barracuda
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Tucson Roadrunners center Lane Pederson (18) slide the puck up the ice during a game against the San Jose Barracuda at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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San Jose Barracuda winger Jayden Halbgewachs (89) moves the puck across the ice as Tucson Roadrunners winger Tyler Steenbergen (17) comes in for a steal during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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San Jose Barracuda defencemen Jake Middleton (21) and Tucson Roadrunners winger Jan Jenik (21) grab each other by the jersey collars as a referee tries to intervene during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Michael Bunting (27) steals the puck away from San Jose Barracuda center Alexander True (70) during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Tyler Steenbergen (17) guards San Jose Barracuda defencemen Brinson Pasichnuk (50) during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Michael Bunting (27) is checked into the glass by San Jose Barracuda defensemen Brinson Pasichnuk (50) as Lean Bergmann (45) winger for the Barracuda slides in to take control of the puck during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Brayden Burke (41) prepares to pass the puck to a teammate during a game against the San Jose Barracuda at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Kevin Roy (12) takes a breath during a game against the San Jose Barracuda at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Kevin Roy (12) shouts as he hits the puck around the corner of the ice during a game against the San Jose Barracuda at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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San Jose Barracuda winger Jeffrey Viel (63) grabs Tucson Roadrunners winger Jan Jenik (21) during a scuffle in a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Jan Jenik (21) pinches his bleeding nose following a scuffle with San Jose Barracuda players during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners forward Nate Sucese (44) is checked from behind by San Jose Barracuda defencemen Jaycob Megna (24) during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners forward Nate Sucese (44) slides toward San Jose Barracuda goalie Alexei Melnichuk (1) after being pushed by Barracuda defencemen Jaycob Megna (24) during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners forward Nate Sucese (44) gets himself up out of the San Jose Barracuda goal after toppling on the ice during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Michael Bunting (27) slides the puck up the ice as San Jose Barracuda winger Lean Bergmann (45) guards during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners center Jeremy Gregoire (25) and San Jose Barracuda center Alexander True (70) struggle for the puck during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
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Tucson Roadrunners winger Kevin Roy (12) dives across the ice after San Jose Barracuda defencemen Ryan Markley (6) takes the puck around the corner during a game at the Tucson Arena, on Feb. 7, 2021.
