The Chief of Police for the Houston Police Department (HPD) recommends that City Council approve an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Houston and Fort Bend County. The City of Houston, through HPD, applied for and received the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking: Enhancement of Established Human Trafficking Task Force grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Victims of Crime and Bureau of Justice Assistance.
This grant provides funding to establish an HPD led multi-disciplinary Human Trafficking Task Force (HTTF) consisting of federal, state, and local law enforcement and a victim service provider, YMCA International of Greater Houston. The implementation of the HTTF acts as a force-multiplier to increase the identification of all forms of sex and labor trafficking victims by providing a collaborative proactive investigative response to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators at both the state and federal levels. Once identified and recovered, YMCA International of Greater Houston will provide victims with a comprehensive array of social services.
Specifically, the funds will support the HTTF by adding law enforcement agencies and state prosecutors from outlying counties within the Houston metro area. The target geographical area of the grant program is the Houston Metropolitan Area, which includes incorporated as well as unincorporated areas of Harris County, Texas; and all areas of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller Counties. As the lead agency, HPD is entering into an Interlocal Agreement with Fort Bend County. Pursuant to the Interlocal Agreement, the City of Houston will use $36,800 in grant funds to reimburse the Fort Bend County for overtime, leased car expenses and a portion of the salary of one investigator for participating in the Task Force.