(Walhalla, SC)———————————On Monday, March 18th, Crime Stoppers of Oconee County, Inc. hosted a Human Trafficking Training Seminar at the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Community Room.
Two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, were held for local law enforcement and for employees of local schools and for non-profits organizations. The goal was to teach and train as many as possible who may encounter those who may be involved in the trafficking realm, whether perpetrators or victims.
The presenter for the training was Dr. Chandra Cleveland (LPI, CHTI), who is owner of Columbia Private Investigation and Security Consultants and S.H.E. (See Her Empower) Investigations Group. Chandra began her career as a law enforcement officer in 1989 with the Richland County (SC) Sheriff’s Office. In law enforcement, Chandra worked in Vice and Gangs and also was involved in the Internal Affairs Unit.
Chandra was also the first female law enforcement officer to be honored as the South Carolina Officer of the Year.
The training was available, at no charge, to those who were in attendance.
During the Seminar, Chandra provided those in attendance with tips and tools to not only recognize those who are being trafficked, but also those who are perpetrators of the crime of human trafficking. Those in attendance had the opportunity to participate in scenarios with Chandra and to ask questions as well.
“Human trafficking is in all 50 states. It is an epidemic. It is a $150 billion dollar industry. And statistics show that only 1% of trafficking victims are ever rescued,” according to Chandra. “In order to stop this crime from taking place, it will take a community effort from law enforcement, our justice system, non-profits, our schools, our families and our houses of worship to not only recognize that it is a problem in their communities but also to recognize signs of victims being trafficked. We need to make sure victims receive the help they need but also to hold those involved in this crime responsible for their actions.”
“Chandra has been responsible for rescuing over 100 victims of human trafficking and on behalf of Crimestoppers here in Oconee County, we were grateful that she came to provide this important training,” says Helen Westmoreland, Coordinator of Crimestoppers of Oconee County, Inc. “Chandra has trained law enforcement, and non-profits, in the United States but also internationally as well. We received great feedback from those who attended the training and we would recommend this training to anyone.”
If you have knowledge, or know about, a human trafficking situation, contact the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, which is operated by the Polaris Project, at 1-888-373-7888 or go to their website at https://polarisproject.org/