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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2014.02.06 - 21187Miscellaneous Resolution #14026 BY: Commissioners Shelley Goodman Taub, District # 12; Janet Jackson, District # 21 and Mattie McKinney Hatchett, District #10 RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ON THE DANGERS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO: Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS through the diligent efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement as well as child advocates and other organizations, the startling threat of human trafficking has been brought to light; and WHEREAS the reality of human trafficking is that people are being bought, sold, and smuggled as modern-day slaves; and WHEREAS slavery marks a scar upon the history of humanity, must be stamped out wherever found and it's destruction is the duty of all citizens, as stated by the abolitionist William Wilberforce, "You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know."; and WHEREAS our own nation has unique historic responsibilities for the eradication of slavery and we as citizens for the protection of individual freedom"; and WHEREAS in the words of President Abraham Lincoln, "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free -- honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve"; and WHEREAS the horrors of human trafficking are overwhelmingly perpetrated as sex crimes against women and 40% of the victims are children according to information published in an April 2011 United States Department of Justice study of Suspected Trafficking Incidents 2008-2010; and WHEREAS despite the impression of many that human trafficking is largely an issue of illegal immigrants, the Justice Department study indicated 83% of victims were U.S. citizens and 28% of the remaining victims were qualified legal aliens; and WHEREAS law enforcement indicates children are especially vulnerable with between 100,000 and 300,000 at risk for sexual exploitation at an average age of 11 to 14 years old and it is estimated that 76 percent of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the Internet; and WHEREAS approximately 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the U.S. every year; and WHEREAS human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry; and WHEREAS Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has identified human trafficking as a serious concern for law enforcement agencies, coordinating efforts for training, awareness and victim care; and WHEREAS members of the Michigan legislature have also indicated a serious concern regarding the growing number of suspected human trafficking cases in the state and are working toward amendments to state statutes to improve the public response; and WHEREAS the Michigan Department of Human Services has recognized the threat of human trafficking in the state and convened a committee of experts who adopted a protocol of best practices for local agencies throughout the state in August 2013; and WHEREAS the Human Services Collaborating Council (HSCC) have endorsed efforts to raise awareness of the threat of human trafficking to vulnerable adults and children in Oakland County and individual members have indicated their willingness to donate time and talents to the cause; and WHEREAS Oakland County citizens have sadly in the past been victims of human trafficking and the resources of county government would be put to good use in coordinating the tremendous amount of information from the many agencies that are touched by the issues and individuals of this crime to Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution. Shelley GoodmAA T6ub, District# 12 ( C • mnnissioner District # Commissioner DisAct #4; rintrnr-rni" litststfi". # Lid I Pr is-sioneri District # / Commissione - District # ( .) COM—MiSSIO ttrictp bommideir:Iner District # provide public education for parents, educators, law enforcement, social workers and any other interested people. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the Oakland County Board of Commissioners recognizes the threat of human trafficking to the citizens of Oakland County and in the interest of the public's safety, authorizes and supports an educational forum on human trafficking. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners will engage in a partnership with the Human Services Collaborating Council to provide the leadership, planning and public awareness of the human trafficking educational forum. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairman of the Oakland Board of Commissioners shall appoint one member of the majority caucus and one member of the minority caucus to act as liaison and take on the project leadership responsibility on behalf of the Board in the development of the educational forum on human trafficking. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Board of Commissioners requests the cooperation of all related county agencies in the success of the human trafficking educational forum. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Board of Commissioners authorizes that a sum not to exceed $5,000 from the Special Projects (731822) line item of the Board of Commissioners Budget be authorized for expenditures approved by the Chairman of the Board related to the human trafficking educational forum. Commissioner District* Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Resolution #14026 February 6, 2014 The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Finance Committee. There were no objections.