Glendale police to work with Valley agencies for influx of human trafficking for Super Bowl
Sep 26, 2022, 4:45 AM | Updated: 8:23 am
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
(AP Photo/Jon Super)
PHOENIX — An estimated 5% of men have or will be buyers of sex workers, according to police. That number could go up with Super Bowl LVII coming to town next year.
According to the Glendale Police Department, back in 2015 when the state hosted the NFL title game, detectives encountered multiple sex workers that had traveled to Arizona from California and Nevada.
Sgt. Aaron Victor expects to see that again in 2023.
“The traffickers will, of course, follow the money to Arizona,” Victor said.
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That’s why Glendale police are working with other law enforcement agencies across the Valley to catch traffickers coming to the state.
“We will be working with other teams to do operations leading up to the Super Bowl, and then we have response team plans on the day of the game to respond to reports of human trafficking in progress,” Victor said.
Leading up to the event, the departments will work on customer apprehensions, child predator operations and victim support.
“Victim support operations are dedicated solely to providing resources to those that are vulnerable to being trafficked,” Victor said.
A majority of the operations being done leading up to and at the Super Bowl will be undercover. Victor explains the details of those operations are secret, but they will be happening with online targets and at locations throughout the Valley.
“If you’re one of those people who’s trying to partake in these type of illegal activities in Arizona, there’s a very high likelihood that you will encounter a law enforcement officer in doing so,” Victor said.
On the day of the Super Bowl, officers and detectives will be on high alert.
“We have detective teams that are going to stand ready to respond to reports from both tip lines and 9-1-1 on in progress tips of trafficking,” Victor said.
Victor says aatnaz.org can provide residents with details on how to spot human trafficking.
To report a tip call 911 or text the national human trafficking hotline at 888-373-7888.
