Human Trafficking Investigations

Please be aware that this class is a 20-hour training. Therefore, the first two days of training will be 8am-5pm local time. The last day will be 8am-12pm local time.



Human trafficking exists in the United States and can be considered Modern Day Slavery. Worldwide, it is a $150 billion criminal industry and it is found in every state of the United States. As many as 300,000 children in the US are at risk for sexual exploitation on a yearly basis.

Law Enforcement Officers may encounter a human trafficking operation during the course of their duties: during a traffic stop, during a police raid or even through a walk-in complaint. These situations often lead to the rescue of a human trafficking victim.



This course will provide attendees with an understanding of:

Basic education of how to identify Human Trafficking
Characteristics of victims and perpetrators
Mechanism of operations, and assessments of trends
Case studies
Investigative techniques and trends
Insight into undercover Human Trafficking/Vice operations
How these type of investigations crossover with internet crimes against children and traveler cases
Obstacles law enforcement officials must overcome
Substantial legal, cultural, and organizational barriers while investigating and prosecuting trafficking cases


CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: Participants will understand the importance of death scene investigation. The session will identify the duties and responsibilities of the first responders and investigators in the preservation, processing and management of a crime scene.



ANALYZING EVIDENCE: This session will help participants understand the different types of evidence, how that evidence is useful and how to use that evidence in making a case.



CRIME SCENE PHOTOS: The objectives of crime scene photography are to record the conditions of the scene before alteration, record the location and position of evidence items collected, document the point of view of principals and potential witnesses, and document spatial relationships of pertinent items.



FOLLOW-UPINVESTIGATION: This session focuses on the steps of the follow-up investigation to include; locating witnesses, eyewitness identification, using social media, surveillance cameras, victimology, crime scene reconstruction, injury reconstruction and the autopsy.



GUNSHOT EVIDENCE: Over 75% of the time a firearm is used in a homicide. It is important to understand and identify entrance, exit, contact and grazing wounds, abrasion collar, stippling and powder burns.



BLOODPATTERN ANALYSIS: Blood left at a crime scene can be very helpful in reconstructing the crime scene, identifying a suspect, and corroborating suspect and victim statements.



DIGITAL EVIDENCE: Every homicide case has digital information. The goal is to understand what that evidence is, where is it located and how to retrieve it.



SEARCH WARRANTS: Search warrants are vital in homicide cases and a case can be lost because of mistakes made during the search warrant process.



CASE MANAGEMENT: Case management is having an efficient and effective process by which cases are assigned, managed, audited, and closed.



CASE PREPARATION: From the beginning investigators should be preparing for prosecution and considering, Jury expectations, the CSI effect, defense strategies and case presentation.



INVESTIGATIVE CHECKLISTS: This course will cover investigative checklists for the following death scenes: Homicide, unattended death, suicide, child death scene, and autoerotic fatality.