Policy Text
1 (03/12 /2019 ) ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
INSTRUCTIONAL ORDER
Subject: HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Index as: Commercial Sex Act Human Trafficking
Continued Presence Sex Trafficking
HEAT Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA)
Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) TVPA
Human Smuggling
Accreditation Standards: 1.2.3.
Cross Reference: G.O. III -1, Field Contacts
G.O. III -6, Juvenile Procedures
I.O. V.5:03, Impounding Vehicles Used to Facilitate Prostitution, Sex and Drug Related Crimes
I.O. V. 5:17, Victim’s Right/Victim Assistance Unit
ISB SOP II-1, Informant Control Procedures
CAPP SOP I -02, Organization, Responsibility and Job Descriptions
§787.0 6, F.S.S.
S.1312 - Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017
Replaces: NEW POLICY
This Order provides an Officers with signs and indicators of human trafficking . It consists of:
I. Policy
II. Purpose
III. Definitions
IV. Procedures and Investigation
I. POLICY
A. It is the policy of the St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) to ensure all individuals within the jurisdiction of the
St. Petersburg Police Department are protected in the exercising of their rights and privileges under the laws of the state of
Florida and the United States of America.
B. The Department takes an active role and works cooperatively with agencies in the State of Florida, the United States
Government, and social service providers to properly identify and investigate incidents of human trafficking .
II. PURPOSE
This Order outline s procedures for identifying, responding to and investigating possible i ncidents of Human
trafficking .
DATE OF
ISSUE EFFECTIVE
DATE NUMBER
March 2019 Immediately V.3:07
Distribution: All Employees
Instructional Order V. 3:07
2 (03/12 /2019 ) III. DEFINITIONS
A. Commerc ial Sex Act – Any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person.
B. Continued Presence – A temporary immigration status provided to individuals identified by law enforcement as
victims of human trafficking . This status allows victims who are potential witnesses to remain in the U.S. temporarily during
the ongoing investiga tion into the crimes committed against them.
C. Human Smuggling – A person, who transports into this state an individual who the person knows, or should know, is
illegally entering the United States from another country.
D. Human Trafficking – The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or
services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of subjecting that person to involuntary servitude,
peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
E. Sex Trafficking – Any person who knowingly recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any
means a person, knowing that force, fraud, or coercion will be used to cause that person to engage in a commer cial sex act
or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained eighteen ( 18) years of age.
F. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 – The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017 (TVPA) provides not just
the legal foundation to combat trafficking, but also the comprehensive framework dictating the federal government’s
response to the crime. This framework is referred to as the “3 P’s” - protection, prosecution, and prevention. In addition, the
TVPA contains the authorizations for the federal funds used to fight trafficking and assist vi ctims and survivors.
IV. PROCEDURES
A. On Scene Investigation
1. There is a great likelihood that an Officer may be responding to another crime such as, robbery, fraud, sexual
battery, prostitution, assault, kidnapping/false imprisonment, extortion, battery or even possibly a heal th codes or
environmental crime.
a. Follow the current procedures for that particular crim e.
2. When there is a suspicion of human trafficking , the following factors should be con sidered in determining
whether human trafficking may be present:
a. What are t he vi ctims living/working conditions?
1) Does the victim live on or near the premises?
2) Is there a large number of occupants for the living space?
3) Is the victim’s communication restricted or controlled?
b. Is the victim allowed to leave their worksite or home ?
1) Look for bars on windows, surveillance equipment, doors with locks on the outside rather than the
inside .
c. Does the victim lack pe rsonal items/possessions ?
1) For example, are all of their belongings in a backpack?
d. Is there a private space available for the victim?
1) Multiple individuals may share a small space, such as mattresses on the floor or only a sheet for a
divider.
e. Does the victim have access to a cell phone , calling card , passport or identification?
1) Often , the suspect will hold these items as a means of controlling the victim.
f. Does the victim have access to their financial records?
g. Is the victim knowledge able about their geographical area ?
h. Personal or physical indicators:
1) Does the victim have injuries from beatings ?
2) Are there s igns of torture ?
3) Is the victim f earful; and/or reluctant to speak to law enforcement about who they ar e, or any other
personal details