ISP works to combat human trafficking
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to combat trafficking, including human trafficking.
ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly, along with key stakeholders representing human trafficking survivors, law enforcement, and support service providers, appeared before the Senate Criminal Law Committee to speak to Senate Bill 2323. The proposed legislation includes development of a strategic plan to improve the victim-centered, trauma-informed law enforcement response to individuals who have been trafficked, as well as developing training standards for detection, investigation, and response to human trafficking.
'Human trafficking can come in many forms, from commercial sex acts to forced labor,' Kelly said. 'Because human trafficking has many faces and can happen almost anywhere, it is important to have a comprehensive, statewide trauma-informed response that encompasses those who may come in contact with individuals who are being trafficked, such as law enforcement, child services, case workers, treatment providers, and others.'
To combat human trafficking, one of the most underreported and under-identified crimes, the ISP Trafficking Enforcement Bureau (TEB) conducted seven human trafficking demand suppression operations in 2024, resulting in 31 arrests and 90 criminal charges. Locally, ISP's work in Danville resulted in 5 arrests and 16 charges.
Charges filed during the seven operations include Indecent Solicitation of a Child, Traveling to Meet a Child, Grooming, Solicitation to Meet a Child, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Armed Violence – all felonies. In addition to the demand suppression operations, ISP obtained charges in three more cases, including charges of Involuntary Servitude and Promoting Prostitution.
Since TEB's creation in 2022, more than 1,200 ISP officers have received human trafficking awareness training, and more than 130 officers have been trained in advanced investigative techniques related to human trafficking investigations. In 2024, ISP partnered with the Texas Department of Public Safety to provide Interdiction for the Protection of Children (IPC) training for front-line officers to recognize signs a child may be a victim, at-risk of victimization, or missing.
ISP continues to develop and support victim-centered human trafficking investigations and plans to conduct at least one operation each month. ISP works closely with local law enforcement and community organizations to provide essential services to those who have been trafficked, including medical, mental, and substance use treatment, as well as food, clothing, short and long-term housing, financial aid, and help obtaining legal assistance.
Every year, millions of men, women, and children are victims of trafficking worldwide, including in the United States and in Illinois. The signs of human trafficking can be subtle. To learn more, visit Recognizing the Signs | National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. For more information visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org or email ISP.CrimeTips@illinois.gov.
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