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Oakland County highlights surge in trafficking prosecutions, promotes hotline and coordination
Summary
Oakland County commissioners proclaimed January Human Trafficking Prevention Month and heard a task-force update saying prosecutions and multi‑agency investigations have increased after 2024 training; the county and prosecutor’s office promoted a victim tip line and continued interagency coordination.
Oakland County commissioners on Jan. 22 proclaimed January as Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month and received an update from the county task force and prosecutor’s office that they say reflects expanded capacity to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases.
Cindy Brown, chief of the trafficking division at the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, told the board the office now has a dedicated trafficking division and, she said, has charged 76 traffickers since prosecutors prioritized the issue. Brown credited a November 2024 training attended by roughly 300 law‑enforcement and community professionals with improving identification and prosecution of trafficking cases. “The tips are coming in, and we encourage the public to continue to do that,” Brown said.
The task force and sheriff’s office representatives described closer collaboration between law enforcement and the prosecutor’s office. Under Sheriff Willis said law‑enforcement partners have expanded countywide investigative capacity by deputizing officers assigned to the sheriff’s task force, a step he said allows for broader, coordinated investigations.
The task force stressed both enforcement and victim services. The group pointed commissioners to a county hotline for trafficking tips, (248) 858‑0411, and noted prosecutions of buyers and other solicitations as part of a demand‑reduction approach. The panel also said training and partnerships have led to more victims being identified and assisted.
Commissioners thanked the task force and noted continued interest in combining enforcement with victim support. The proclamation and update conclude with a pledge to continue multiagency efforts and outreach.
Next steps: the task force and prosecutor’s office said their work will continue, and they encouraged the public to report tips through the advertised hotline.
