In recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is putting a spotlight on the issue.
Florida’s Highway Heroes is an ongoing outreach campaign that was launched in 2020 to train the state’s licensed commercial drivers on how to identify and report suspected human trafficking.
According to FLHSMV, nearly 4,600 licensed commercial drivers and nearly 400 Florida Highway Patrol members have been trained through Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) since the launch of this initiative.
FLHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes said, “Florida’s 12,000 miles of highway and growing economy present residents and visitors to our state with many opportunities to travel for work and leisure. And while our expansive highway system affords us so much, criminals target our state and exploit our highways to traffic women, men, and children.”
The Florida Highway Patrol will be participating in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s three-day Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative from Wednesday, January 11 to Friday, January 13. As part of the initiative, troopers will be focused on engaging with commercial drivers by handing out TAT informational wallet cards during roadside inspections and enforcement stops throughout the state.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “We will not sit idly by as traffickers travel Florida preying on vulnerable people to fuel their illicit practice. We are putting the pedal to the metal to train as many drivers as possible to help steer us toward our goal of ensuring Florida is a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking.”
If anyone witnesses suspected human trafficking, it is important to provide law enforcement with the following information:
- Descriptions of cars or trucks (make, model, color, license plate, truck and/or USDOT number) and people (height, weight, hair color, eye color, age). Take a picture if possible.
- Specific times and dates (when did the event in question take place, what day was it, etc.).
- Addresses and locations where suspicious activity took place.
- Be sure to tell law enforcement that human trafficking is suspected, not prostitution.
Witnesses can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-373-7888), the U.S. Department of Justice Hotline (1-888-428-7581), the Florida Abuse Hotline (1-800-962-2873), or local authorities (911 or *347).
For more information on the Highway Heroes initiative, including access to the TAT training, visit the FLHSMV Highway Heroes website.