Resolution 25-042 Human Trafficking Commission tenth anniversary

55:53Now let's move to res 4.

55:56Okay, do we have anyone here for human trafficking? If you'd like to come up to the podium please.

56:04Well motion.

56:08Right.

56:15Right, go. No.

56:18Timmy.

56:21Welcome.

56:22I recognize these foods.

56:25Resolution number 25-042, a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida. Recognizing the tenth anniversary of Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking. Whereas human trafficking is a crime against a person, whereby through exploitation, an individual is compelled to work or engage in a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion, thereby being stripped of their rights and humanity. Traffickers typically use multiple means to control their victims, including

56:55beatings, rape, isolation, forced drug and alcohol dependency, withholding of documentation, and psychological and emotional abuse. And whereas the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, PCC H T was created by the Board of County Commissioners in 2014 to combat. This horrific crime through education, awareness, and advocacy efforts guided by leaders from the sectors deemed critical to effectively combat

57:25human trafficking, such as law enforcement, the school district, healthcare professions, child welfare, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, the hospitality industry, institutions, and the industry. Institution of higher education and survivors. And whereas in the past decade, the PCCHT has trained over 15,000 individuals in Pasco County and throughout the state, made over six million impressions with its awareness campaigns, implemented

57:56anti-trafficking curricula in all Pasco County middle and high schools a year before it was mandated by the state. Yeah. Created a signage ordinance that has been replicated by other counties, and developed a comprehensive training for county employees with accompanying awareness materials. And whereas the PCCHT has collaborated with numerous community partners, including county government departments, anti-trafficking organizations, regional task force and coalitions, faith-based

58:26organizations, Businesses, first responders, and youth-led organizations to further its mission, goals, and objectives. And whereas, in partnership with all five local law enforcement agencies, the PCCHT developed a research initiative to collect data on human trafficking in Pasco County. Through its involvement with the USF Trafficking in Persons Lab, the PCCHT supports research efforts aimed at gaining a better understanding of the scope

58:56of human trafficking, not only in Pasco County, but around the state. And whereas the PCCHT hopes to continue its education, awareness, advocacy, and prevention efforts by collaborating with community partners. Partners that work with populations that are vulnerable to being trafficked, creating targeted educational materials, implementing awareness campaigns, supporting the work of other anti-trafficking organizations, and promoting youth-led efforts. And whereas, despite the dedicated efforts of the PCCHT,

59:28much work remains to be done to eradicate human trafficking from Pasco County. Exploitation of people for profit has no place in our community, and opportunities remain to protect the most vulnerable among us and to restore freedom, dignity, and justice to victims and survivors of human trafficking. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby thanks members of the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, past and present, for their work combating

59:58human trafficking in Pasco County and offer support for their ongoing efforts to make Pasco County a safe place for all citizens. Done and resolved in regular session with a quorum present and voting this 12th day of the. November two thousand twenty four.

1:00:13Move to approve. Second. Motion is second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion passed 5-0. So we got how many uh spokesman persons today, about eight or nine or

1:00:26yes, two of us will speak today. about ten years and just uh a phenomenal impact into the the community. Um Brian Hoban, Director of Community Services. And I just want to take a moment to to provide a few thank yous. First and foremost, a thank you to the Board of County Commissioners for your support over the past ten years of this amazing advisory board. Commissioner Yeager, I want to thank you. I know your time on this uh advisory board has been short, but very impactful, and we know that you have dedication and passion towards this topic, so thank you very much. Jeff Steinslander, want to thank you

1:00:56in the County Attorney's Office. Elizabeth Blair serves specifically as the County Attorney for this advisory board, and she does a phenomenal job. Later today we have an amendment to the Code of Ordinances that she was tremendously helpful on. So we want to thank her for all the help and all the dedication she's provided this advisory board over the past decade. She's been tremendous. So I want to thank her. Also want to thank Tracy Toner, our misdemeanor probation manager. She is the county liaison for this board, goes to all their meetings and uh does a phenomenal job of helping them. Um, you know.

1:01:26con connect with the the the board and on the the government side of of what they need to be able to continue to operate. And also lastly I just uh I really want to thank this board, this advisory board. They're the ones, the the boots on the ground out in the community doing amazing things and have been for the past ten years. I want to introduce Liana Dean, their phenomenal chair from Bay Air, and she's gonna talk about some of the accomplishments and some of the things that they've done out in the community to help keep people safe over the past ten years. So Yeah.

1:01:53Good morning. Thank you so much for acknowledging the work of the Commission over the last ten years. I actually had written out a whole speech and I just decided I'm gonna throw it out because I was standing here listening to Brian, and we're talking about people. This is human trafficking, and it's a human issue, right? And it takes people to affect change. And I am so privileged to be standing here with a group of people that you You see behind me. The work that the Commission has done, you heard about the accomplishments that we've made over the last ten years, and we'd like

1:02:23to think that that has been very impactful, as evidenced by the fact that some of our efforts have been replicated around the state of Florida. And even in sent to some other states. At the end of the day, we're talking about vulnerable populations and individuals that are susceptible to being taken advantage of and exploited for profit. Working with the population that I did over the last ten years I lost a child to trafficking. She was murdered um and her body was dumped here in Florida.

1:02:53And I worked with children who were in foster care who were trafficking survivors. And I know that people standing up here have worked with individuals who've been trafficked. And I cannot emphasize enough how much they have a passion for this topic, how much that they care about the people that we are working to serve. and about how much they care about protecting the community. We are facing such unique challenges when it comes to human trafficking now. We are talking about AI generated

1:03:24sexual abuse material. We are talking about Weaponizing everyday technology to target and recruit and groom our children. So we asked you 10 years ago for your help and support, and you gave it to us unconditionally, and we've been so grateful for that. We still need your support moving forward as we tackle these issues. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Alan Wilkett, Ken Killian, Kelly Sin, and Toby Caroline. Who have four members that have been with us from the very beginning, and

1:03:54they have been involved in every project that we have worked on from day one, and I just feel like they need to be recognized for that. And I also have to say a very special thank you to our survivor representative, who is also our vice chair, Laura Henderson. Everything that we do has to be survivor-led and survivor-informed. They have to be the voices that are at the front of this. Fight and I cannot thank her enough for the guidance that she has given the commission over the last several years. And lastly, I want to thank all of you for your support. Commissioner Yeager, you

1:04:24I know you just joined us, but as Brian said, you've brought tremendous passion to this. And Commissioner Oakley, you served with us the longest tenure of any board member to serve with us, and we were so deeply grateful for all that you did for us. And to all of you who have supported us over the years, we're very appreciative. So thank you so very much.

1:04:42Ms. Yeager.

1:04:43Well first of all, congratulations on ten years and thank you for all the work you guys uh do in the community and spreading awareness to this. Um a little fact I I don't think I shared with you, but probably About a year ago I called Commissioner Bradford and asked if there were any openings on the board to sit on human trafficking. So when I got put on your board, I was super excited. I'm I'm really um happy to serve with you guys and you guys are boots on the ground. You're amazing. I don't think Liana

1:05:13sleeps at all. I really if if they say she sleeps, I I I need proof that she sleeps. Because uh you guys are the most hardworking um group I've ever met. So thank you for all you do for our county.

1:05:24And if I could just add, I county staff has been phenomenal. They are amazing. Brian and Tracy and Elizabeth Blair and Tambry Lane are people who've worked with us for the last decade, but countless other departments have been involved and I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge them and thank them as well. So thank you.

1:05:41Mr. Mariano? Well from being here ten years ago to see the great progress you've made and the great enthusiasm from the workshop you did at Dade City just a little while ago at the Women's Club, I mean thank you for getting the word out, for make making it w aware and you're saving people, so thank you for all. Okay.

1:05:57And I want to say, um, you know, your reputation is is well known throughout the state, not the country, and it's always wonderful to brag that we were the first in so many things. So I I do that all the time. Um great work and I know we mentioned it about sexual human trafficking, but there's other kinds of human trafficking as well. And so we have to be mindful that um sometimes people are forced to work uh without pay um and and uh so we just have to keep our eyes, ears and and hearts

1:06:27open and just thank you for your dedication and and for all the work you do. Great job.

1:06:33Mr. Waiton, thanks here. You know, it's good to be copied around the state. It's the ultimate form of flattery. I mean, you guys should be incredibly proud that you're setting the standard of what this type of, you know, battle presence needs to be in our state. And you're absolutely right. The ex exploitation of people for profit has absolutely no place in Pasco County, the state of Florida, the United States of America,

1:07:04and in this world. So thank you all. You're a small but mighty group on the front lines, but know that we're behind you in I hope everybody else in this crowd is behind you. So call upon us anytime and we're happy to take up arms with you.

1:07:18Oh, it's my turn.

1:07:22When I first started and got on on the human trafficking board, what amazing work y'all did. I mean people didn't realize how nationally known our group right here in Pasco County, being a small group really, was nationally known all over the country for human trafficking, working against it and keeping keeping it away from us and trying to really push away but many people copied what you were doing, so Um they all got better but

1:07:52we still uh there's a lot of work ahead of us. So but when uh Commissioner Bradford came came on board, I turned over, I think I'd been on about four years and I turned over to him and he wanted to be a part of that board. and uh his desire was to serve in that area. So he he thought so much of y'all and of what y'all did. So but then when Ms. Jaeger she she's joined us, I immediately turned, I think within a a week or two, I

1:08:22turned everything that he had before over to her. And of course she's done a very good job in being with y'all and and working with you. So and I know her heart's in the right place for all all that you do. We all are. So but thank you so much, each and every one of you, for those that are not with you anymore. that first started to to those that have joined since and and a part of it. All of you have done a great job in and what you do in in Pasco County and really nationally. That it's

1:08:53a great b it doesn't seem like thank you's enough, but thank you. So

1:09:29It's me on

1:09:37Alright.

1:09:49And we got it.

1:10:34And the dock is destroyed.