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Delaware Attorney General seeks additional funds to combat human trafficking

Delaware Public Media

The state Department of Justice asked lawmakers on the Joint Finance Committee to help expand the scope of its operations last week.

Attorney General Kathy Jennings says adding positions to address human trafficking cases is a priority , arguing DOJ needs a team solely dedicated to the issue.

“Human trafficking is one of those crimes that if you’re not out there looking for it, nobody’s gonna come knocking on your door and say it’s there," Jennings told the Joint Finanace Committee last week. "You have to really understand it, know where to look for it and get started with the investigations.”

Human trafficking is currently handled by members of DOJ’s child protection unit, and a committee meets monthly to go over the cases.

But Chief Deputy Attorney General Alex Mackler says the child protection unit is already overwhelmed with its own work.

“We have people there who’s primary jobs are other things who we’re asking them to also focus on human trafficking," said Mackler. "The goal here is to have people who come into the office, wake up every day coming into the office and focus on nothing other than human trafficking.”

The three new positions requested would focus on investigating and prosecuting places such as illegal massage parlors.

Jennings also advocated for other new positions not recommended in the governor's budget. Some of those positions would work specifically on data privacy, elder abuse, and investor protection cases. Jennings calls all of those emerging issues in the state.

She is also seeking 22 new staff members to review and manage body-camera footage as more police departments implement the program.

Some state lawmakers agreed with Jennings on the need to address these areas of concern.

Roman Battaglia a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.

Roman Battaglia grew up in Portland, Ore, and now reports for Delaware Public Media as a Report For America corps member. He focuses on politics, elections and legislation activity at the local, county and state levels.
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