The Citronelle Police Department is working to educate the public about human trafficking, marking the World Day Against Human Trafficking with an awareness push.
Chief Tyler Norris said the department partnered with other agencies across Mobile County to produce a video sharing information and statistics about trafficking, aiming to draw attention to a global issue that rarely surfaces in local casework.
Norris acknowledged that trafficking isn’t something his department typically investigates or trains for.
“It’s not one of those things I was educated about that it felt natural to me,” he said. “With this video, we pulled out some points, statistics that we thought would be something that would get people’s attention.”
He encouraged families to talk openly about the danger. “This is a dining room table sit down as a family and explain to your kids this is real life,” Norris said. “Be aware, be alert. Look around, make sure you don’t engage in conversation with a total stranger.”