Today, like many of my colleagues I attended an event on Human Trafficking. ACC Pinkney is the ACPO lead for this and the Force over the past few months has been looking at how we are, can and should be  tackling it.

I listened to a number of presentations from a number of organisations including Stop The Traffiking, The Salvation Army, NSPCC and colleagues from other Forces. To think that it is not going on in Sussex is naive, I know that is just not true.

So much of it is unseen and because it doesn’t fit within the normal policing arena we have struggled to know what to do at times. I know how to deal with a public order incident or a burglary or a firearms incident but this needs me to think differently and apply a different logic. 

But do something we must; There are men women and children in the UK who are victims of this and we need to work closer with our partners and the Non Governmental Offices to protect them.

One of the last speakers was a young lady who had been a victim and it clearly took a great deal  of courage to talk to us all, but she got across so well just how we have to help those who are victims of this. 

During the day reference was made to the difference between ‘what is in the public’s interest’ and ’ what is of interest to the public.’ Tackling human trafficking is something we must do in the interest of the public.

The event was closed by our Deputy Chief Constable, Mr York who made it clear that dealing with human trafficking is difficult, it doesn’t fit into our normal processes and policies but everyone has a responsibility to do something and it is about doing the right thing. 

Over the next few weeks on Arun, we will meeting a number of people involved in this work so that we can join with them and start to try and do the right thing for any such individuals within Arun.