Latest news with #MarkBritton
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Local law enforcement: Incidents underreported, so scope not fully quantified
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 12 likely victims of human trafficking in Cambria County from 2015-22. There were three in Somerset County. A few legal cases have taken place. In 2017, Barshay Dunbar, of Johnstown, was convicted on charges stemming from operating a sex ring using out of the Super 8 hotel in Richland Township, in which he paid the women with drugs. The case developed when a hotel general manager notified police of suspicious activities. Barshay Reqwan Dunbar Barshay Reqwan Dunbar William Warren was arrested in 2022 and later pleaded guilty to trafficking and other charges. Law enforcement began an investigation after responding to an overdose at his residence, next to the Stonycreek Township Police Department, in which the woman later died. Then, a few weeks ago, a Johnstown man was charged with multiple felonies after allegedly providing a teenage runaway with drugs and using her for sexual favors in exchange for a place to stay. Those were all occurrences or allegations of sexual human trafficking. Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said he has not seen cases of labor human trafficking because, 'We don't really have a lot of migrant workers that come through here.' Without elaborating, Neugebauer said, 'Frankly, we're actively investigating several cases right now.' Those might not seem like a statistically significant number of incidents. But law enforcement officers, legislators, counselors and advocates agree that human trafficking crimes are extremely underreported. 'With human trafficking, 1,000%, those numbers lack reporting, especially in our area,' said Victim Services' Jessica Piro, the Cambria County Human Trafficking Response Team's co-coordinator. Johnstown Police Department | Chief Mark Britton Johnstown Police Department Chief Mark Britton shown here outside the Public Safety Building on Washington Street in downtown Johnstown on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Johnstown Police Department Chief Mark Britton compared the lack of reporting to the silence that often accompanies other crimes of violence and exploitation. 'It's just like somebody who has been raped,' Britton said. 'You know they've been raped. You know they've been abused. But they don't want to come forward because of the embarrassment, or because they have become so used to the abuse that they encounter – not so much maybe physical abuse, but the mental abuse and the emotional abuse – they don't want to come forward because they're so aligned with that type of behavior that they don't know any other behavior. They don't know how they're going to survive.' 'Definitely happening' About a decade ago, Kelly Callihan attended a Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association conference in Philadelphia during which there was a presentation about human trafficking. 'I just remember thinking, 'Human trafficking, I'm going to half-pay attention. That doesn't apply here,' ' said Callihan, who was Cambria County's district attorney at the time. 'Then once we heard the presentation, I was like, 'Wow, this is definitely happening then in our area.' ' Callihan's experience inspired her to help form the Cambria County Human Trafficking Response Team in 2016, in collaboration with other individuals and organizations, including Victim Services Inc. Kelly Callihan Kelly Callihan The trafficking response group is connected to the Cambria County Sexual Assault Response Team. Members come from victim services groups, law enforcement agencies and health care providers. The organization works to raise awareness about the issue, develop practices for law enforcement, train people such as medical professionals and hotel workers on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, and assist survivors. Even with the team carrying out its mission, it is still a challenge to define the scope of how much human trafficking occurs locally. 'It's one of those things that I don't think, necessarily, the amount of cases that are being filed is indicative of what the actual problem is,' said Callihan, who is now the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association's executive director. 'Kind of like a hub' The Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 99, U.S. Route 219, U.S. Route 22, other highways and rails carrying Amtrak trains pass through the local region – providing ways for human traffickers to move among major metropolitan areas, such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Buffalo. 'What we're primarily seeing is that it's kind of like a hub,' Piro said. 'We are in the middle of several key cities, and we're also on what is like a trafficking beltway from D.C. to Ohio.' Greg Neugebauer | Announces Candidacy For Judge Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer answers questions from the media after announcing his candidacy for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas during a press conference at the Young Peoples Community Center in Ebensburg on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Neugebauer recalled one case from a few years ago 'that will always stick out in my mind' involving a person being trafficked through the region. 'Essentially, the victim met this individual at a bar in another state,' Neugebauer said. 'They started hanging out, and before she knew it, she was being basically driven across the country and being severely physically abused. 'They stopped at a local store to get gas and some snacks and the perpetrator basically left her alone for a minute. And she essentially ran out of the car. A store employee saw her, saw that she had what appeared to be fresh physical injuries. That kicked off an investigation that led to us looking at things in other states and all kinds of stuff.' Neugebauer said he does not believe the people had any local connections other than they were passing through the area. The victim later died from underlying health issues, according to Neugebauer.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Johnstown police searching for suspects in stabbing
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown police are searching for two suspects connected to a stabbing Tuesday in the Hornerstown section of the city. The incident took place around 9:48 a.m. on the 100 block of Poplar Street, city police Chief Mark Britton said. 'Our units were there within two minutes and observed a victim with multiple stab wounds,' he said. The victim's name is not being released, but he was identified as a male in his late 20s. He was transported by EMS to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center for treatment. Britton said the victim's condition was unknown, but he didn't believe the injuries to be life-threatening. The victim told officers he was approached by two suspects he didn't know, and when a verbal altercation escalated, a knife was used to attack him, authorities said. The suspects then fled the scene in a white Jeep Compass with a dark stripe on the hood. 'We do believe this was a targeted altercation,' Britton said, adding there's no danger to the public. He expressed thanks for the Cambria County Sheriff's Office, the Cambria County Detective Bureau and U.S. Marshals for assisting with the situation. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cambria County non-emergency number at 814-472-2100.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The world's 10 best cities to live in revealed
Two new locations entered Oxford Economics' global ranking of cities this year, which evaluates the attractiveness of their economies based on a number of different factors. The economic advisory firm's Global Cities Index scored the 1,000 largest cities across five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. Mark Britton, director of city services at Oxford Economics, said: "The global economic environment is evolving. Over the past year, heightened geopolitical tensions and a rise in economic nationalism have contributed to increased levels of uncertainty and have adversely affected global economic growth." "The significance of cities in this period of uncertainty can't be overstated," he said. "They serve not only as centres of resilience but also as engines of adaptation and innovation, owing to their dynamic networks of businesses, institutions, and people." Read more: Elizabeth Line drives rents up 31% in three years New York held onto the top spot in this year's rankings, with UK capital London coming in second place once again. Both cities performed best in the economics and human capital categories, highlighting their roles as global hubs for finance, business, and education. In addition, Oxford Economics pointed out that both have among the best universities and corporate headquarter offices. The French capital of Paris took over in third place this year from the US city of San Jose, which fell to the fourth spot. Oxford Economics highlighted that Paris was now the fifth-largest city in the world, and the second largest in Europe, in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP), with its economy largely focused on services. San Jose is renowned for the tech hub of Silicon Valley, which is home to big-name companies, including iPhone-maker Apple (AAPL), Google-parent Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and social media giant Meta (META). Oxford Economics said that given technology firms generate significantly higher GDP than most industries, San Jose's GDP per person is the highest of all 1,000 cities. The US city of Seattle, which rounded out the top five, also boasts a major sector – with Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) both operating in the area. "Aerospace is also a significant contributor to the economy, including Boeing (BA) (which was founded in the city)," the authors of the Global Cities Index said in the report. "Seattle hosts several retail headquarters as well, including Starbucks (SBUX), Costco (COST), and Nordstrom (JWN). This range of large employers gives the city one of the highest levels of GDP per person in our index, and a healthy economic diversity measure." The Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney came in sixth and seventh place respectively. Sydney was a new entrant into the top 10 this year, which Oxford Economics attributed to an improvement in its quality of life and environment scores. In eighth place, the US city of Boston was also a new addition to the top 10, as it saw in increase in its economics score. This was followed by Tokyo, Japan in ninth place and San Francisco, US in the tenth spot. Read more: Elizabeth Line drives rents up 31% in three years On the broader index, Anthony Bernard-Sasges, senior economist, city services at Oxford Economics, and lead author of the report, said that several cities in "India, Indonesia, and the UK have risen in the rankings this year, whereas Japanese, Canadian, and Brazilian cities mostly fell. Cities in the US, China, Australia, and continental Europe experienced a mix of outcomes." In addition, Oxford Economics also classified cities into different archetypes based on shared characteristics. These archetypes included: global leaders, regional leaders, cultural capitals, sustainable cities, industrial hubs, legacy cities, developing megacities and emerging standouts. Bernard-Sasges said that each city archetype faced unique opportunities and challenges. "The report also explores future trends that will shape the development of cities, including the impact of generative AI, climate change, and demographic shifts," he said "For instance, Global Leaders are best positioned to maximise the benefits of generative AI but must address rising inequality," he explained. "Meanwhile, Developing Megacities have the potential for significant human capital growth but must overcome rapid urbanisation challenges." Read more: What are Trump's guests getting from $148m crypto dinner? Best credit card deals of the week Rachel Reeves rules out cutting ISA limit but remains vague on cash savingsError while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The world's 10 best cities to live in revealed
Two new locations entered Oxford Economics' global ranking of cities this year, which evaluates the attractiveness of their economies based on a number of different factors. The economic advisory firm's Global Cities Index scored the 1,000 largest cities across five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. Mark Britton, director of city services at Oxford Economics, said: "The global economic environment is evolving. Over the past year, heightened geopolitical tensions and a rise in economic nationalism have contributed to increased levels of uncertainty and have adversely affected global economic growth." "The significance of cities in this period of uncertainty can't be overstated," he said. "They serve not only as centres of resilience but also as engines of adaptation and innovation, owing to their dynamic networks of businesses, institutions, and people." Read more: Elizabeth Line drives rents up 31% in three years New York held onto the top spot in this year's rankings, with UK capital London coming in second place once again. Both cities performed best in the economics and human capital categories, highlighting their roles as global hubs for finance, business, and education. In addition, Oxford Economics pointed out that both have among the best universities and corporate headquarter offices. The French capital of Paris took over in third place this year from the US city of San Jose, which fell to the fourth spot. Oxford Economics highlighted that Paris was now the fifth-largest city in the world, and the second largest in Europe, in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP), with its economy largely focused on services. San Jose is renowned for the tech hub of Silicon Valley, which is home to big-name companies, including iPhone-maker Apple (AAPL), Google-parent Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and social media giant Meta (META). Oxford Economics said that given technology firms generate significantly higher GDP than most industries, San Jose's GDP per person is the highest of all 1,000 cities. The US city of Seattle, which rounded out the top five, also boasts a major sector – with Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) both operating in the area. "Aerospace is also a significant contributor to the economy, including Boeing (BA) (which was founded in the city)," the authors of the Global Cities Index said in the report. "Seattle hosts several retail headquarters as well, including Starbucks (SBUX), Costco (COST), and Nordstrom (JWN). This range of large employers gives the city one of the highest levels of GDP per person in our index, and a healthy economic diversity measure." The Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney came in sixth and seventh place respectively. Sydney was a new entrant into the top 10 this year, which Oxford Economics attributed to an improvement in its quality of life and environment scores. In eighth place, the US city of Boston was also a new addition to the top 10, as it saw in increase in its economics score. This was followed by Tokyo, Japan in ninth place and San Francisco, US in the tenth spot. Read more: Elizabeth Line drives rents up 31% in three years On the broader index, Anthony Bernard-Sasges, senior economist, city services at Oxford Economics, and lead author of the report, said that several cities in "India, Indonesia, and the UK have risen in the rankings this year, whereas Japanese, Canadian, and Brazilian cities mostly fell. Cities in the US, China, Australia, and continental Europe experienced a mix of outcomes." In addition, Oxford Economics also classified cities into different archetypes based on shared characteristics. These archetypes included: global leaders, regional leaders, cultural capitals, sustainable cities, industrial hubs, legacy cities, developing megacities and emerging standouts. Bernard-Sasges said that each city archetype faced unique opportunities and challenges. "The report also explores future trends that will shape the development of cities, including the impact of generative AI, climate change, and demographic shifts," he said "For instance, Global Leaders are best positioned to maximise the benefits of generative AI but must address rising inequality," he explained. "Meanwhile, Developing Megacities have the potential for significant human capital growth but must overcome rapid urbanisation challenges." Read more: What are Trump's guests getting from $148m crypto dinner? Best credit card deals of the week Rachel Reeves rules out cutting ISA limit but remains vague on cash savingsError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Bring pride back': New Deputy Chief Britton meets with Johnstown Police Advisory Board for first time
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – New Deputy Chief Mark Britton emphasized the importance of the Johnstown Police Department force being proactive and visible when he met Monday with the Johnstown Police Advisory Board for the first time. He said JPD in recent years has tended to be reactive as it dealt with challenges, such as high turnover and being low staffed. Part of his goal is to get officers into positions where they can be more involved in the community developing relationships. He wants to expand the K-9 unit, bring back the motorcycle officers and start holding the Coptoberfest party fundraiser again. 'I want our department to be out there to be seen a little more,' Britton said. He added: 'I need to bring pride back to this department and be part of this community.' Britton, who has been with the force since 2009, was sworn into the deputy chief position Feb. 7. He explained the reason for the 'deputy chief' title, instead of 'chief.' 'They (city officials) plan on in the future, not sure when, to look at getting a public safety director to oversee the fire department and the police department,' Britton said. 'I'm not sure when that's going to be, if that's going to transpire.' Deacon Jeffrey Wilson, the advisory board's president, told Britton that the organization's mission is to help develop a 'highly functioning department, state-of-the-art department, a department that's inclusive to all the people that are in the area.' 'We want you to know that the Johnstown Police Advisory Board is not an adversary to the department or to the city,' Wilson said during the meeting. 'Instead it was born out of cooperation with trying to make sure that there's great communication between the community and the department, but along with that to make suggestions as we go along based upon the information that we get from the community, so that we can help also in improving the situation in the city of Johnstown.'
