Austin News

Killeen Police Department (KPD) has been collaborating with the Bell County Sheriff’s Department as a new strategy to combat the human trafficking crimes happening around their community.

Bell County Sheriff’s Department information officer. Maj. T.J. Cruz previously informed Killeen Daily Herald that the department always contacts the KPD when they are about to investigate human trafficking operations in their city. The KPD usually offers assistance in their investigation and KPD officers have arrived on scene when needed.

“We know that many of our victims and suspects live and operate in both of our jurisdictions, so we work collaboratively for resolution on human trafficking cases,” KPD Chief Charles Kimble said in an email to the Herald. “The sheriff’s office has county-wide jurisdiction to work any crime in Bell County and we work with them on cases that are within both our jurisdictions.”

There is no official task force designed to combat trafficking formed between the two agencies. Police try to keep investigations into trafficking operations as sleuth as possible, and a heavy amount of officers reporting to the scene would give away their cover quickly.

Human trafficking is a severe crime that has affected many Texas residents. The National Human Trafficking Hotline says that there were 561 cases reported in the state in the past year.

Killeen Daily Herald wrote on the crimes that occurred in Killeen, such as nine female victims being rescued from a Killeen hotel in May 2019 and three Killeen women were recused from two massage parlors in December 2019.

Killeen has been home to several human trafficking awareness meetings open to the public, with many taking place in local churches. The most recent occurred on Jan. 28 at the Harker Heights Event Center.

Cruz advised to the Herald that parents should approach their children more about their social lives as a way to prevent them from being lured into trafficking operations.

“It’s a good idea to know who their friends are and what social media apps they’re using, because many times predators use these apps,” Cruz said. “Don’t be afraid to just sit down and talk to your children. Have family dinners together and talk.”

KPD’s Organized Crime Unit and the Special Victims Unit are primarily responsible for investigating sex crimes, prostitution, abuse, labor trafficking and licensed business violation cases.