You have been such a pioneering voice in the Bay Area with your local work in law enforcement to fight trafficking. What have you seen as a trend or change in the anti-trafficking movement from your early days till now?
JV: Wow, so much has changed since I first got involved in the response to human trafficking in 2006. For the first few years, very few people were even familiar with the term.
The San Jose Police Department received one of the first grants from the United States Department of Justice to form a Human Trafficking Task Force. We worked in collaboration with the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking as well as other partners that included victim services agencies and federal and local law enforcement partners.
We were extremely fortunate to have really great people to work with, but we were literally doing something that had never been done before: creating a collaboration to work on this huge problem. The grant program had four goals: identify victims of human trafficking, prosecute offenders, train local law enforcement, and raise public awareness. There was no blueprint for how to accomplish any of these tasks, so we had to create a plan.
We focused our efforts on raising public awareness and training local law enforcement, as you can’t identify victims if you don’t know what trafficking is or what to look for. We tried a variety of ways to accomplish our goals. While some were unsuccessful, some were and are still being used today.
What have you learned about the local fight against trafficking and where are we headed in terms of continuing to fight this criminal activity in the communities where we work and live?
JV: We cannot be successful in fighting human trafficking without law enforcement being actively involved. And, what many people don’t understand, is that law enforcement all across the United States has been tremendously impacted by the shift in public sentiment toward law enforcement in the past four years. Virtually every agency is understaffed and struggling to recruit qualified men and women.
People need to understand that agency staffing levels have a direct impact on where the law enforcement agency can direct their attention. Many agencies are overwhelmed with responsibilities that don’t allow their officers the time to be trained on how to investigate human trafficking or conduct the necessary investigations when they encounter a potential human trafficking case. This issue of staffing will not end soon. It will take years to overcome.
Supporting your local law enforcement agencies in any way you can is vital. Let your city or county leaders know you support law enforcement by attending meetings where public safety is discussed. Support your local agencies when they ask for pay raises or other funding (higher salaries are often the only way to lure experienced officers from other agencies) and; tell officers you see on the streets that you appreciate what they are doing in your community. Something as simple as a smile and “hello” can let officers know they are valued.
What inspires you to keep at the work you’re doing on a daily basis?
Since retiring from the San Jose Police Department 12 years ago, I’ve been very fortunate in that my work has been filled with wonderful opportunities for me to partner with people and agencies around the country.
In 2017 I was hired by San Mateo County as their Human Trafficking Program Coordinator, which gave me and Pamela Estes (the current Program Coordinator) the opportunity to essentially build a countywide program from the beginning. In 2021, I was hired to advise on a project that focused on identifying trafficking victims forced to work on illegal cannabis farms, most of which were tied to drug trafficking organizations, including Mexican cartels and Asian or Eastern European organized crime.
The projects I’ve been a part of have provided a variety of experiences. I’ve assisted organizations around the country in their pursuit of forming federal Human Trafficking Task Forces. I’ve also been part of teams creating resources for task forces and setting standards for serving children and youth victims of trafficking.
How do you see Freedom Insight as a partner with law enforcement in the anti-trafficking movement?
Freedom Insight has always been very thoughtful in the role they are currently in, and how they can make a difference moving forward. They’ve also been very supportive of local law enforcement. Freedom Insight understands the challenges faced by law enforcement in responding to human trafficking and the need for law enforcement to be involved in collaborative efforts. I’ve seen Freedom Insight encourage others to support local law enforcement, and I’ve also had them on the ground beside me during anti-trafficking investigations. They understand the big picture but also get things done when needed. Not every anti-trafficking organization has either of those attributes.
How would you encourage individuals to Rise Up in this movement?
First, be sure you truly understand what human trafficking is and isn’t! Human trafficking is a much more complex issue than many understand. And, the response to trafficking is even more complex! Attend trainings or read books that examine all the sub-topics related to trafficking.
If you want to get involved, spend some time learning what’s going on in your community already. Learn what the needs are before devoting your efforts in ways that are either duplicative or just aren’t needed in your community. Engage with other individuals and organizations, and be willing to collaborate with others. Each of us has a role to play in the fight against trafficking. When we add up all the small differences we make as individuals, great things can happen.
John Vanek has worked with law enforcement agencies, non-governmental and community-based organizations, academic institutions, and private sector companies in the response to human trafficking since 2006. John served 25 years with the San Jose Police Department, retiring in the rank of Lieutenant, where he managed the San Jose Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force from 2006-2011. As part of the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking, John’s efforts helped launch collaborative partnerships throughout Northern California. John is also the author of The Essential Abolitionist: What you need to know about human trafficking & modern slavery (2016). Along with 16 expert contributors John addresses the most often-asked questions about human trafficking.
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Freedom Insight, formerly known as the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition, was founded in 2011. While our name has changed, our mission remains steadfast—now with an expanded focus to make a broader, national impact in the fight against human trafficking.
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