SCHUMER ANNOUNCES TWO DOJ GRANTS FOR NASSAU COUNTY AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND AID VICTIMS
$170,000 Grant Will Pay For Training, Equipment For Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force Of Long Island That Identifies And Rescues Victims Of Human Trafficking And Prosecutes Traffickers
$60,000 Grant Will Allow Diocese Of Rockville Centre To Provide Case Management And Legal Services To Victims Of Human Trafficking
Schumer: These Grants Will Help Nassau County Fight This Wicked Pr
On Friday, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) announced $230,000 in federal grants from the Department of Justice that will go towards fighting human trafficking and helping victims of the practice. $170,000 will go towards the Anti Human Trafficking Task Force of Long Island. The grant will enhance Nassau County's current operation of identifying and rescuing victims of human trafficking and investigating and prosecuting the traffickers. $60,000 will go towards the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre to provide case management and legal services to victims of human trafficking.
"These grants will help Nassau County law enforcement crack down on this awful practice," Schumer said. "By helping victims escape, and then prosecuting the perpetrators who operate these networks, the Anti Human Trafficking Task Force of Long Island is one of our best lines of defense against fighting this practice locally. We were also able to secure $60,000 for the Diocese of Rockville Center to aid victims of human trafficking, who need all the help and support we can provide. Those who practice human trafficking are the lowest form of humanity, and I'm glad we could secure money to fight these monsters and aid their victims."
Nassau County will use the $170,000 grant, known as the 2010 Human trafficking Task Force Initiative, to continue funding the Nassau County Police Department's enforcement strategies as part of the Anti Human Trafficking Task Force of Long Island. The strategy of the task force is to focus on investigating institutions known to exhibit a high likelihood of human trafficking activity, including through conducting surveillance and undercover work in conjunction with the Detective Division and the Vice/Narcotics Squad. Members of the Asset Forfeiture Bureau will perform forensic accounting investigations and the Special Investigation Squad will look at connections to organized crime. Some of the funding will also be used to conduct training sessions with other local law enforcement agencies and community members. The grant funds will support equipment, training, overtime, and travel.
The $60,000 grant, one of several projects under the Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Grant Program, will provide intensive case management and legal services to certified victims of human trafficking, in addition to the comprehensive services currently provided to pre-certified victims. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre will also continue to work with the community to respond to victims' needs and provide training to increase awareness in the eyes of the criminal justice system, social service providers, and the public.