NY police receive $1M to fight human trafficking

By Ashley Hirtzel
WBFO

NEW YORK — Two western New York agencies recently secured additional funding to fight human trafficking. The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and the International Institute of Buffalo for their collaborative efforts to combat the crime.

Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy Elizabeth Fildes says the $500,000 grant will be used educate community, law enforcement, educational institutions and faith based organizations about the signs of human trafficking.

“A lot of people don’t understand that human trafficking is not just sex trafficking, [that] it also can be part of labor trafficking. When you work eight hours, you get paid for eight hours. Our new citizens have to learn what is acceptable here and what we have as far as labor laws, that we have certain ages in which children can work, and certain ages where children cannot work,” said Fildes.

Full Story: WNY agencies granted $1 million to combat human trafficking