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Young residents urge Thornton to invest in anti‑trafficking training and partnerships
Summary
Young speakers and residents urged the council to dedicate resources and partner with nonprofits and federal partners to address human trafficking that affects minors; council members noted existing regional efforts and said staff will follow up.
Two Thornton residents — one a teenager — told the council they are worried about trafficking of minors and asked the city to invest in training and partnerships.
Holland Zolstra described trafficking as a statewide problem affecting 12- to 19-year-olds, cited call volumes to the Colorado human-trafficking hotline and asked the city to invest money and resources to prevent exploitation. Brett Zylstra urged cross-sector training across five sectors (local law enforcement, schools, probation/corrections, mental-health providers and local government staff) and asked the council to partner with nonprofits and county leaders.
Council members responded by thanking the speakers and noting existing regional participation: Council member Morris said Chief Baird chairs the state human-trafficking council and that Thornton is already engaged in regional work. Council members encouraged staff to continue coordination with non-governmental organizations and law enforcement to expand training and awareness.
No formal action was taken at the meeting, but council members expressed interest in continuing the discussion and in next steps to support training efforts.
