Arizona attorney general launches program to train utility workers on human trafficking

PHOENIX — A new collaborative effort with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office will train frontline utility workers across the state on how to recognize and report human trafficking.

Employees from the Salt River Project (SRP), Arizona Public Service (APS), Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and UniSource Energy Services will participate in the training, the Attorney General’s Office announced.

Attorney General Kris Mayes teamed up on the initiative with the Arizona Anti-Human Trafficking Network (AATN), an organization that is committed to educating the public and combating human trafficking.

Why train utility workers about human trafficking?

“Utility workers are being trained because they are frequently working in neighborhoods and in the public and may have the ability to spot the signs of human trafficking,” Richie Taylor, a spokesman for the AG’s Office, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

For months, representatives from each of the groups met and worked together to help create the training program for their employees.

“This partnership reflects our collective commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable members of our communities. By equipping frontline workers with the tools to recognize and report human trafficking, we are taking another step toward making Arizona safer for everyone,” Mayes said in the release.

The hope is that increasing awareness in utility workers will help prevent human trafficking.

“By providing training to utilities employees, we are expanding the reach of human trafficking awareness and strengthening Arizona’s ability to identify and address this issue. Collaboration like this enhances our ability to protect vulnerable individuals and build safer communities statewide,” Fidencio Rivera, board president and chair of AATN, said in the release.

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