Due to increased state and federal attention to human trafficking, law enforcement agencies are making progress to support victims and hold traffickers more accountable. Many jurisdictions have developed multidisciplinary anti-human trafficking task forces.

Since 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has provided federal funding around the United States to support task forces to combat human trafficking that use a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach among local, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as prosecutors and victim service providers. These Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces adhere to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act by ensuring that all trafficking victims are identified and receive access to a comprehensive array of supportive services. The task forces also ensure the crimes of human trafficking are successfully investigated and prosecuted at all levels—local, state, tribal, and federal.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has partnered with the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office for Victims of Crime to develop a resource for jurisdictions interested in establishing a collaborative, multidisciplinary anti-human trafficking task force—The Multidisciplinary Collaborative Model for Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces: Development and Operations Roadmap (the Roadmap).

The Roadmap was created with direct input from the ECM Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces around the United States, and it outlines core elements of a high-functioning task force. This resource is a visual tool to assist multidisciplinary task forces in building a strong foundation and advance operational capacity and effectiveness as they evolve and adapt over time. The Roadmap illustrates the breadth and complexity of partnerships, expertise, and training that is needed to effectively combat human trafficking crimes. This tool can help patrol officers, investigators, analysts, and other law enforcement personnel understand their roles and contributions to a larger multidisciplinary team and facilitate a shared understanding of roles, responsibilities, and overall mission to achieve public safety.

The purpose of the Roadmap is threefold. First, it aims to provide multidisciplinary task forces with a tool to assess processes, collaborate, manage growth and performance, and progress toward goals. Second, it helps to reinforce that developing a multidisciplinary task force is a process that requires time, attention, and intention—no matter what stage of development the task force is in. Finally, it equips task forces with resources that support capacity building and sustainability to help further task forces’ progress.

This resource helps multidisciplinary teams with developing core capacities to advance their collective anti-human trafficking efforts. The Roadmap highlights four areas of core function:

1. 1. 1. Internal Foundations, Operation, and Collaboration
      2. Case Operations
      3. Data, Reporting, and Assessment
      4. Public and Community Engagement, Awareness, and Training

Within each function, the Roadmap presents various elements and stages that offer questions and prompts for task force members to consider as they move through the different phases of task force development and operations.

The Internal Foundations, Operation, and Collaboration function area highlights the importance of internal functions for a task force, such as their goals and objectives, roles and responsibilities, and guiding principles, to ensure collaboration and long-term success. The Case Operations function area describes key components and considerations for anti-human trafficking case response, such as victim-centered investigations, delivery of victim services, and referral protocols. The Data, Reporting, and Assessment function area discusses data collection, analysis, and evaluation activities task forces need to engage in to measure, report on, and enhance their activities. Last, the Public and Community Engagement, Awareness, and Training function area describes the activities task forces are associated in outside of usual task force operations, including community outreach, awareness, and training.

To view the Roadmap, or other anti-human trafficking tools for law enforcement, prosecutors, and their multidisciplinary partners, visit the IACP’s Anti-Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance (theIACP.org/humantrafficking) website. To connect with staff working on IACP’s anti-human trafficking initiatives, please email humantrafficking@theIACP.org.d

Please cite as:

Alexa Bitterman, “Supporting Human Trafficking Task Forces,” IACP@Work, Police Chief (July 2020): 90-91.