Mayor City Manager Valerie Amezcua Kristine Ridge*

Funding to combat human sex trafficking is both inconsistent and insufficient resulting in less participation in the OCHTTF by law enforcement agencies. Santa Ana disagrees partially with this finding. While funding is a concern, staffing levels at agencies throughout the County contribute to the inconsistent and insufficient participation in the OCHTTF. Even with adequate funding, including past grants, only a few Orange County agencies participate in the task force. SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL Valerie Amezcua Jessie Lopez Thai Viet Phan Benjamin Vazquez Phil Bacerra Johnathan Ryan Hernandez David Penaloza Mayor Mayor Pro Tem, Ward 3 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 4 Ward 5 Ward 6 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] of

Limited budgets, training, and hiring challenges constrain local law enforcement agencies' ability to devote significant resources toward combatting human sex trafficking. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. Budgets, training, and hiring differ from agency to agency throughout the County. Agencies deploy their personnel according to the unique needs of their respective agencies. Notwithstanding the budget, training, and hiring challenges faced by the Santa Ana Police Department, Santa Ana recognizes the human trafficking crisis in Orange County, and to that end, Santa Ana has dedicated a full-time detective to the task force.

Education and prevention efforts have increased awareness of human trafficking but remain insufficient to create heightened awareness within the Orange County community. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. The OCHTTF's partnership with Santa Ana, the County, and private entities has assisted in bringing awareness to the human trafficking crisis in the County. The task force has traveled up and down the state providing training on the issue. Despite losing grant funding, Santa Ana has committed to providing personnel to the task force.

Agencies inadequately record, track, and coordinate their data collection to effectively measure their progress toward addressing human trafficking. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. While grant funding traditionally supported efforts to record, track, and coordinate data collection effectively, these efforts have become limited without the grant. Nevertheless, Santa Ana is committed to furthering these critical areas of data collection to combat human trafficking through our partnership with the task force and seeking out the best tools to enhance human trafficking prevention and education.

There is no centralized, coordinated, and specialized database in Orange County that could be utilized across all affiliated agencies to track repeat victimization. Santa Ana agrees with this finding; however, a law enforcement agency cannot develop such victim databases due to laws, policies, and procedures. A non-profit agency/entity or a County agency would be better suited to manage such a database.

Orange County's wealth and tourist attractions make it a magnet for human sex trafficking. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. Orange County is a magnet for tourism with its wealth, world- renowned attractions, beaches, and excellent weather. The County also attracts a criminal element, including human trafficking. Santa Ana recognizes this criminal element's negative impact and has dedicated personnel to the OCHTTF, led by the Anaheim Police Department. of

Sex trafficking is an underground crime. Trafficked individuals are transient and mobile, making it difficult to discover and identify victims. The City of Santa Ana agrees with this finding. Human traffickers and their victims are transitory and routinely traverse from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, crossing county and state lines. As a member of the OCHTTF, Santa Ana understands the importance of collaboration with these other jurisdictions.

Law enforcement attitudes and methods have changed to a "victim centered trauma informed" approach, but more training is needed to identify, intervene, on behalf of, and support victims. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. Our personnel within the OCHTTF and the Department receive continual information and training regarding human trafficking.

Law enforcement agencies do not focus enough on the demand side of human sex trafficking, and punishment of the clients is minimal. Santa Ana disagrees partially with this finding. Santa Ana and the OCHTTF conduct operations to address the demand side of human trafficking by arresting sex purchases; however, sex purchases receive only a citation and rarely spend any time incarcerated for their crimes.

Victims and survivors need complex ongoing social service support. Santa Ana agrees with this finding. Santa Ana has dedicated personnel to the OCHTTF, which partners with various entities, such as Waymakers, who assist in addressing survivor concerns. These private entities are better equipped to help survivors long-term with their needs. RESPONSE TO