The Bellevue Police Department, in collaboration with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), is stepping up to educate the city's hospitality sector on battling human trafficking. Set for tomorrow, this free training seminar at Bellevue City Hall Council Chambers will focus on equipping hotel owners, operators, and staff with crucial knowledge to spot and prevent these crimes, which unfortunately occur within the community.
From 2:00-4:00 p.m., industry professionals will gather to receive insights from experts, sharing detectable signs of trafficking and local efforts for prevention. According to the Bellevue Police Department, Chief of Police Wendell Shirley emphasizes the importance of training, stating, "Human trafficking is a crime and unfortunately does happen in communities like Bellevue." He continued, underscoring the charge vested in the community and its stakeholders to join forces with law enforcement to save lives swiftly.
BEST's Inhospitable to Human Trafficking course will form the crux of the training's first part, educating hospitality staff on identifying and responding to potential human trafficking situations. "This training will shine a light on the problem of human trafficking in lodging facilities," Kirsten Foot, Ph.D., CEO and Executive Director for BEST, told the Bellevue Beat blog. She conveyed the objective of arming staff with practical information for the recognition and safe reporting of any suspected trafficking within their establishments.
In the seminar's second half, local human trafficking cases will be presented by the Bellevue Police Department, allowing participants to engage with real-world scenarios. Attendees have the chance to query anonymously during a Q&A session regarding any aspects of human trafficking or situations they have encountered at their properties, as reported by the Belleville Beat blog. Upon completion, participants will be awarded a certificate acknowledging their training to thwart human trafficking in the hospitality industry.
