Florida has officially launched a statewide human trafficking reporting number. This move comes in response to concerns regarding the National Human Trafficking Hotline, operated by Polaris, which was reportedly failing to share timely suspected human trafficking tips with local law enforcement.
The Florida-specific tipline was created by Attorney General Ashley Moody and Florida’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill mandating that this new statewide tipline be displayed on human trafficking awareness signs across the state. The public is now encouraged to report any suspicions of human trafficking in Florida by calling 855-FLA-SAFE.
Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “The State of Florida is committed to ending human trafficking. Unfortunately, the woke Stanford and Columbia-educated CEO of Polaris has pushed a radical agenda to delay the dissemination of vital information to local law enforcement in favor of what she calls a ‘victim centered approach’."
In September 2020, Polaris announced its new CEO, Catherine Chen. According to her biography, Chen "has spent more than two decades building innovative social justice programs and pushing for policy changes to address the root causes of sex and labor trafficking.”
However, there have been concerns over Chen's reluctance to provide timely tips about trafficking situations to law enforcement so they can stop traffickers and rescue victims.
Last year, Attorney General Moody and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general across the nation voiced their concerns to Congress regarding the federally-funded National Human Trafficking Hotline. It was revealed that Polaris only forwards tips about adult victims under limited circumstances - a practice contrary to what states and organizations have come to expect from this partnership.
In some cases, it was discovered that there were delays of several months before the hotline shared tips with law enforcement. The letter from the attorneys general states, “It appears to us that the Hotline is not performing the services it is already funded to perform."
Attorney General Moody also supported U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee’s National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act, a bill that would require entities who contract with the National Human Trafficking Hotline to cooperate with state and local law enforcement when receiving tips through the hotline.
The new reporting number for Floridians suspecting human trafficking is 855-FLA-SAFE.