The Alcoa Police Department has confirmed that seven arrests made between July 19 and 20 were the result of a sting operation. A total of nine people were identified engaging in prostitution during the operation, two of whom detectives determined may be human trafficking victims.
APD Chief David Carswell confirmed in a phone interview that at least four individuals had been arrested during the two-day operation. The other three were charged and/or cited, but Carswell declined to comment on the specifics, citing victim privacy and protection.
“We want to keep folks safe,” said Carswell. “We don’t want to identify someone and have them get hurt just for being involved, especially not if they’re a victim.”
Pre-Operation
Human trafficking and prostitution cases can be particularly difficult for law enforcement to crack, according to Carswell. Agencies have to contend not only with vast criminal information networks working to avoid or undermine them, but also against the fear victims may have about law enforcement itself.
“There’s a lot of fear at work here,” Carswell explained. “Fear that they’ll be hurt, or someone they love might be hurt. Fear that law enforcement is just there to get them into trouble. We aren’t.”
Even if authorities overcome those two hurdles, there is still the issue of gathering enough evidence to mount an operation like the one APD undertook. Time, luck and courage are all factors that can influence the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement interventions, he said.
Carswell explained that it’s usually patrol or dispatched officers who first learn something might be amiss through tips while on the job. Sometimes, a victim reaches out to report the crime, but he noted that happens much less frequently.
“We have resources, even for folks who may not want to talk to law enforcement directly,” Carswell explained. “Every state has a free Human Trafficking Hotline, for one.”
Carswell acknowledged that in some cases, victims can end up on the wrong side of charges or citations due to being caught up in a sting operation like this one, but he also emphasized that help doesn’t stop just because an individual is charged, cited or even arrested.
Moving Forward
When asked if he could let the public know one thing to keep in mind to help victims or help protect themselves from being victimized in prostitution or human trafficking, Carswell returned to a tried-and-true adage.
“If you see something, say something,” said Carswell. “It might be something as benign as someone seems more timid when around a specific person, or you feel that someone is acting particularly fearful.”
He specifically encouraged anyone who witnesses something “their gut says just isn’t right,” to call and request a welfare check. Under no circumstances should people be attempting to otherwise engage in potentially dangerous situations, he added.
“We don’t want anyone to get hurt,” said Carswell. “That’s why we do these operations, and that’s why we have resources available.”
For cases that may expand beyond APD’s scope, Carswell added that there are federal agencies with more resources which they can reach out to, such as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and its related Human Trafficking Task Force.
In the end, Carswell expressed that the department was happy with the conclusion of this operation.
“We’re here to help, but also to remind people that prostitution and human trafficking is not and never will be tolerated in Alcoa,” concluded Carswell.
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