The Oakland Police Department launched a new Human Trafficking section of its website on Friday, in an effort to combat sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
The new section of the website will display booking photos of individuals arrested and charged by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for prostitution-related offenses, police said.
Not only will booking photos of alleged pimps and purchasers be posted online, but the arrestees’ names, dates of birth, cities of residence and the dates and natures of their arrests will also be publicly posted.
In a statement released on Monday, the department explained that the new website is designed to keep the community informed about people who have been arrested and charged for soliciting prostitution and those profiting from prostitution. The department said in the statement:
“We are dedicated to identifying and rescuing victims of trafficking and locating and arresting perpetrators of this crime.”
Oakland police said they work closely with the district attorney’s office:
“…to hold the perpetrators of these serious crimes accountable and with victim advocacy groups to provide support to the victims.”
Police are urging the community to help combat trafficking by staying informed and by reporting suspected prostitution and sex trafficking incidents through the department’s anonymous tip line at (510) 238-2373. Anyone with specific information about the individuals listed on the website or with information about the crimes for which they have been arrested is asked to call (510) 777-3333 to make a police report or to call an anonymous tip line at (510) 238-2373.
The photos and information on the website will be updated twice a month, police said, and can be viewed here.
— Hannah Albarazi, Bay City News
Last modified July 1, 2014 4:31 pm
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