WHP participates in Human Trafficking Awareness initiative

By Mark Horan

Every January, as part of the National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance puts on a week-long campaign called the Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol partners with CVSA in this endeavor.

During the week of January 9-13, members of WHP put on a series of events, presentations and media interviews designed to inform truckers and the traveling public about the warning signs of human trafficking and what they can do to help combat this form of modern day slavery.

These events took place at visitor centers, rest areas, truck stops and ports of entry throughout the state.

The information that WHP provides to motorists comes from an organization called Truckers Against Trafficking, a non-profit group whose mission is “to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the truck, bus and energy industries on the critical role they can play in fighting one of the most lucrative and destructive crimes in the United States and globally.”

The outreach program is geared toward the trucking commu cards and window decals in this year’s initiative. The wallet cards provide reporting information, questions to ask potential victims, and trafficking red flags to look for. The decals provide an emergency help number and are an indicator to victims that the vehicle owner is a safe person to talk to if they need assistance.

Tyson Rein, an inspector with the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, was one of the 30 WHP members who helped spread the word in January.