October 7, 2019
Contact: Captain Johnny Poulos
Email: jpoulos@dps.ms.gov
With the passage of House Bill 571, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is pleased to announce the formation of a dedicated Human Trafficking division. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) immediately began seeking additional funding sources to support the enforcement of this state-wide effort to thwart human trafficking in Mississippi. MDPS is proud to announce, on behalf of Attorney General William P. Barr, the Office of Justice Programs approved MDPS’s application for funding under the FY 19 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking in the amount of $800,000.00.
The FY 2019 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking: Supporting Law Enforcement’s Role grant award is specifically intended to support MBI’s enforcement role in investigating and solving human trafficking crimes. Grant eligibility requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary task force. The United States Attorney’s office has partnered with the MDPS to establish the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council (MHTC) to ensure a collaborative working group to identify existing services and gaps in services. In a victim centered, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary model, MHTC will work to prevent trafficking, protect victims and prosecute criminals in all forms of domestic and international human trafficking, to include commercial sex trafficking and labor trafficking, for the protection of both adult and minor victims.
“The Department of Public Safety is excited to bring these federal funds to Mississippi to aid the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation in formulating official
law enforcement led task forces to fight those who choose to traffic human beings in this state,” said Commissioner Marshall L. Fisher.