Clackamas County Multi-Disciplinary Team participates in Coast to Coast human trafficking interdiction.

Milwaukie, OR  - On May 30^th, the Clackamas County Human Trafficking Multi-disciplinary Team conducted a sex buyers and sellers sting as a part of the Our Rescue’s “Coast to Coast Operation.” This event is a simultaneous operation in various states and locations around the country, where associated agencies/advocates share intelligence, identify trafficking victims offering them supports/services and arrest traffickers.  The event was hosted by the Milwaukie Police Department with assistance from the West Linn and Wilsonville Police Departments.

Through various online sites and applications, decoy Officers and Deputies contacted both purchasers and sellers of sex providing a location in the Milwaukie area for the exchange to occur.

Purchasers of sex who arrived at the provided location were detained and interviewed. Suspects were offered the opportunity to speak with volunteers from the Epik Project then were issued citations in lieu of arrest. One suspect was lodged at the Clackamas County Jail on a parole violation warrant.

Sellers of sex were contacted with teams of investigators and advocates and given offered services. Sellers (victims) were presented free access to advocates and Clackamas County Victim’s Services. They were also provided food, and medical care from Providence SAFE and Clackamas Fire Medic volunteers. Victims were not issued citations as a part of the stipulations of the Coast to Coast Operation guidelines and were released.

The Coast to Coast mission involved 157 police agencies across 19 states. Locally, members of the Clackamas County Multi-Disciplinary Team working this operation contacted and cited 7 purchasers of sex along with offering services to 5 victims.  In total for this nationwide effort; 87 victims were contacted 74 non-victims were arrested, 7 firearms were seized, and 33 search warrants were issued.

Special thanks to law enforcement members of the Clackamas County Multidisciplinary team assisting in this mission; West Linn Police, Canby Police, Lake Oswego Police, Oregon City Police, Wilsonville Police, Gladstone Police, Clackamas County Parole and Probation, Tualatin Police Department,  Molalla Police Department, Oregon Department of Justice Human Trafficking Division, FBI Portland, and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office.

Additional recognition to victim assistance advocacy groups directly involved in this interagency effort; Safety Compass, The Epik Project, The Guardian Group, Clackamas County Victim’s Services, Providence Health Safe Nurses, Clackamas Fire Medical Personnel.

If you or someone you know is a victim of sex trafficking, local help is available. Contact the survivor hotline at Safety Compass – (971) 235-0021. For more information about sex/human trafficking visit this informational page of the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office: https://www.clackamas.us/da/human-trafficking. For more information about Our Rescue, visit: https://ourrescue.org/education/blogs/from-coast-to-coast-our-rescue-supports-nationwide-stand-against-human-trafficking.

The Milwaukie Police Department routinely participates with interagency missions regarding Traffic Safety, Theft and Human Trafficking in Milwaukie and throughout Clackamas County.