AG Cameron: $175K federal grant to fight human trafficking | | timesleader.net

FRANKFORT — Attorney General Daniel Cameron said his Office of Trafficking and Abuse Prevention and Prosecution will receive a $175,000 federal grant to develop an awareness campaign dedicated to protecting missing children from the dangers of human trafficking.

The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, through its Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, Community Policing Development Micro-grants Program.

“Kentucky's missing and runaway children are especially susceptible to human trafficking, and this grant will allow our office to address the needs of these underserved juveniles,” Cameron said. “We are grateful to Lexington Police Chief (Lawrence) Weathers for supporting our grant application and to COPS for awarding this funding to assist our office in protecting our most vulnerable in the Commonwealth.”

Weathers wrote a letter to the Justice Department in support of TAPP's application for grant funding.

“Kentucky's missing and runaway children are more vulnerable to exploitation, and this campaign will assist law enforcement in swiftly bringing Kentucky kids to safety,” Weathers said. “I am grateful to Attorney General Cameron and his team for their efforts to support law enforcement in responding to cases involving missing children.”

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, human traffickers approach one in six runaways within the first 48 hours. This grant will allow TAPP to raise awareness about the vulnerabilities faced by missing children and provide essential training for law enforcement, social workers, foster parents and other caregivers.

Part of the campaign will equip caregivers with best practices from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on steps to take if a child goes missing or runs away. It will also strengthen community policing initiatives.

Additionally, the training provided under the grant will serve as a force multiplier by equipping community stakeholders and caregivers in recognizing and understanding the reasons why children go missing or run away.

“Finding children who go missing quickly is imperative for their wellbeing,” said TAPP Executive Director Heather Wagers. “Our office wants to help every Kentucky child in need, and this grant plays a vital role in making Kentucky a safer place for every child.”

Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has received 3,796 contacts related to Kentucky. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services says in its 2022 Human Trafficking Report, Kentucky received 344 reports of the human trafficking of children, involving 399 child victims. This is more than a 66% increase in reports and a 70% increase in child victims compared to 2020.

The cabinet has attributed the increase in child trafficking reports to human trafficking awareness campaigns like the AG's “Your Eyes Save Lives” program. To learn more about the campaign, visit YourEyesSaveLives.ky.gov.