WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) co-sponsored the Human Trafficking Awareness Training Act, legislation to expand the availability of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) human trafficking awareness training courses to state, local, tribal, territorial, and educational institution law enforcement agencies.

“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that impacts people of all ages in communities worldwide,” said Rep. Owens. “We have a responsibility to not only provide all-encompassing support for survivors but also to ensure top-of-the-line training so that law enforcement agencies across the country can recognize and prevent these horrific crimes. I’m a proud co-sponsor of the Human Trafficking Awareness Training Act because it strengthens our arsenal to fight this devastating form of modern-day slavery.”

The legislation recognizes the importance of FLETC’s training programs for first responders and their use in recognizing and properly responding to potential human trafficking situations.

FLETC currently provides several training courses, including an in-depth understanding of the definition of human trafficking; information on industries and common locations known for human trafficking; human trafficking response measures; human trafficking reporting protocols; an overview of federal statutes and state law related to human trafficking; and others.

The full text of H.R.6480 is available here.

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