Human Trafficking Training Comes to V.C.

When Pat Trotter was sitting at the Law Enforcement Academy to become an emergency communicator for Valley County, he had a personal reaction to a class on human trafficking and its prevalence in Montana. Determined to do something to educate Northeast Montana on the dangers, warning signs and prevention of such a heinous crime, he began to facilitate bringing the training and the specialist to the region.

Trotter began working with MSU Extension Agent Roubie Younkin to bring the presentation to the area, and on Thursday, April 25, Natali Adorni came to the Glasgow High School to do a couple of presentations on the human trafficking epidemic spreading across Montana. The first class held at one in the afternoon, was heavily attended with many of the participants being high school students, concerned community members and law enforcement personnel.

“It mattered to me because the Hi-Line is a main thoroughfare,” explained Trotter, “and if we had the businesses and law enforcement working on it we can at least curtail it.”

Basically, the class highlighted what human trafficking actually is as a crime and as a practice. It also covered what it looks like from the outside and inside, the markers to look for if you think something is wrong and how to report such crimes.

Trotter said 132 people attended the afternoon session and a few dozen attended the evening class. They also had classes in Chinook and Wolf Point that same week.

“It was good for our community and for the indigenous community,”said Sheriff Tom Boyer. “It was timely training to present to people.”