Richmond Council recognizes Human Trafficking Prevention Month, task force outlines local response

Richmond leaders on Jan. 28 accepted a presentation from the West Contra Costa Family Justice Center, the Contra Costa Human Trafficking Task Force and the Richmond Police Department, and proclaimed January 2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

The presentation described coordinated countywide work to identify and support survivors, investigate traffickers and expand prevention. Katrina Natale, director of the Contra Costa Human Trafficking Task Force, told the council the task force is a multidisciplinary partnership of more than 40 agencies and that its work includes survivor services, prosecution, education and data-driven planning. "Our mission is really centered around four key areas: providing comprehensive services to survivors, holding exploiters accountable, education and prevention, and doing this work on a data-driven basis," Natale said.

Lashari Johnson, director of the West Contra Costa Family Justice Center, described on-site survivor support, advocacy and the center’s role as a place victims can be connected to housing, legal help and other services. Sergeant Florencio Rivera of the Richmond Police Department described law enforcement’s role in investigations and quarterly operations and said officers treat people contacted during operations as potential victims and offer services regardless of whether they will cooperate with prosecution.

Speakers described local efforts focused on the 20 Third/20 Fourth Street corridor, including community surveys, crime-prevention-through-environmental-design work, neighborhood cleanups and a community safety and cohesion lighting initiative funded in part by the Richmond Rotary Club. Katrina Natale said the lighting project has installed 23 solar lighting units so far, with about 100 planned and a possible second phase that would require modest city funding and additional infrastructure for alleys.

Task force leaders said labor trafficking — forced or coerced labor and wage theft — is at least as prevalent as sex trafficking but is harder to detect, and that the district attorney’s office investigates workplace justice and labor trafficking. Task force staff reported that Community Violence Solutions served 183 trafficking victims countywide in the first 11 months of 2024; law enforcement investigated and filed 18 trafficking-related cases in 2024 (not all cases were specific to Richmond). Task force members also described work on a county vacatur protocol to help survivors clear criminal records tied to trafficking.

After the presentation Mayor Eduardo Martinez read a proclamation declaring January 2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Month and the council presented certificates of recognition to partner organizations including Faith in Action East Bay, the Wendell Area Action Team, Community Violence Solutions and the Richmond Rotary Club.

The presenters invited continued council support for modest funding to extend the lighting and outreach work in the Wendell area and for continued cross‑agency collaboration on prevention and survivor services.