On Tuesday, Vallejo Police Department's Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) Team took to the streets of downtown Vallejo, spurred by community concerns over the troubling presence of sex trafficking and exploitation. A social media post from the police department detailed an incident involving a routine patrol that soon escalated into a pursuit and subsequent arrests related to solicitation activities.
The officers on patrol witnessed a potentially illicit exchange between a female pedestrian and the driver of a red Dodge Challenger at the intersection of Sonoma Boulevard and Alabama Street. The woman, later identified as an Oakland resident, attempted to evade the officers upon noticing their approach, even to run flip-flopless after a brief chase. "During a brief foot chase, she lost her flip-flops, which allowed the officers to close the distance and safely detain her," the Vallejo Police Department reported.
The driver, after being read his rights, reportedly confessed to his intent to purchase sexual services for $100. Background checks revealed his invalid driver's license, resulting in vehicle impoundment. Despite declined offers of help made to the woman, both parties were arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail for solicitation-related offenses.
