* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Burnett
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Investigative Hearing - Human Trafficking Investigations and Prosecutions
For the purpose of inviting representatives from the Baltimore City Office of the State’s Attorney, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Fire Department, the Baltimore City Public School System Police, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland United States Attorney’s Office, the Maryland Department of Social Services, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, The Hope Center (formerly known as Baltimore Child Abuse Center), BlueDOT, and other collaborators from the Baltimore Human Trafficking Collaborative who provide identified victims of human trafficking with emergency interventions and supportive services, to brief the City Council on the scope of the human trafficking problem in Baltimore City, current efforts to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking, further strategies that could be implemented to bring these individuals to justice, and resources that are needed to assist survivors of human trafficking.
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Recitals
According to the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force (MHTTF), Maryland is a hotspot for human trafficking. In a survey conducted by MHTTF, victim service providers in Maryland identified 396 victims of sex and labor trafficking served in 2014. Of the victims whose ages were reported, 56% were children. According to a 2015 Capital News Service investigation, between January 2013 and May 2015 in Baltimore City, just 10 suspects were charged with human trafficking and prosecutors dropped all charges in at least 8 of those cases.
Maryland’s central location makes it easy for perpetrators of human traffickers to use its
highways, bus terminals, truck stops, and airports to transport victims to cities along the east coast.
It is imperative that we protect the most vulnerable members of our society by bringing perpetrators of human trafficking to justice and providing resources to those who have survived human trafficking. Effective collaboration between law enforcement and advocacy groups and local, state, and federal officials will be key in protecting victims and punishing perpetrators.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the City Council invites from the Baltimore City Office of the State’s Attorney, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Fire Department, the Baltimore City Public School System Police, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland United States Attorney’s Office, the Maryland Department of Social Services, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, The Hope Center (formerly known as Baltimore Child Abuse Center), BlueDOT, and other collaborators from the Baltimore Human Trafficking Collaborative who provide identified victims of human trafficking with emergency interventions and supportive services, to brief the City Council on the scope of the human trafficking problem in Baltimore City, current efforts to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking, further strategies that could be implemented to bring these individuals to justice, and resources that are needed to assist survivors of human trafficking.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, the Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department, the Chief of the Baltimore City public School System Police, the Baltimore City Sheriff, the members of the Baltimore Human Trafficking Collaborative including all nonprofit and federal law enforcement partners, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.