NRP say they also need more officers for the Human Trafficking Unit, since it was created in 2019
Niagara Regional police is looking to expand its Human Trafficking Unit, as the number of investigations, arrests and charges consistently grow.
The police services board meeting was recently reminded of 13 arrests made at a Niagara Falls motel.
Detective Sergeant Tara Ryan says they started with two officers when the unit was created in 2019, they now have four, but more are needed. "These investigations can be fairly complex, there's no two investigations that are the same, everything's going to be a little bit different. Each investigation will involve a number of interviews, sometimes many interviews, search warrants, production orders, surveillance observations, data analysis."
She adds, just as with the Child Exploitation Unit, officers receive psychological help considering the work involved.
Board member Kevin Gibson compared it to the number of Child Exploitation Unit cases, in needing more officers. "The Child Exploitation number was huge, 496, I believe, sitting there, not being investigated, simply because we don't have enough police officers."
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