PRESS RELEASE, PUBLIC SAFETY

Governor Wolf Announces PennDOT Effort to Help Combat Human

Trafficking

March 07, 2017

Harrisburg, PA In an effort to help combat human trafficking, Governor Wolf announced that
the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is training its front line Driver License Center
staff to notice signs of a potential trafficking situation. PennDOT is working with the
Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association to help arrange this training for their operators
as well, and is sharing trafficking awareness information with commercial drivers who visit
Driver License Centers.

I applaud Secretary Richards and PennDOT for their work to combat human trafficking, said
Governor Wolf. Spreading awareness and training PennDOT employees on how to identify
possible human trafficking victims is an important step in fighting this horrific issue.

Human trafficking has sadly become a worldwide problem and developed into a $32 billion a
year trade, said PennDOT Leslie S. Richards. We at PennDOT are doing our part to help spot
victims and get them assistance.

The training, developed by PennDOT in partnership with the Villanova Law Institute to Address
Commercial Sexual Exploitation, and Truckers against Trafficking, defines trafficking and how
victims are forced and coerced into it. The training also instructs employees how to call the
appropriate authorities and what information to collect if they see potential trafficking.

As of Jan. 13, every transit agency director across Pennsylvania has been trained, and PennDOT
expects its Driver License Center and transit agency staff to be trained by summer 2017.

Additionally, PennDOT is now distributing wallet cards to CDL holders and applicants at its
Driver License Centers, which contain information regarding how to report a tip to law
enforcement when suspecting human trafficking activities.

Pennsylvania enacted Act 105 in 2014 to define human trafficking and give law enforcement
tools needed to go after traffickers.

Here are links to information about human trafficking:

Blue Campaign (USDOT/USDHS Joint Initiative): https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign

Polaris (National human trafficking non-profit): https://polarisproject.org/
Truckers Against Trafficking: http://www.truckersagainsttrafficking.org/
Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual
Exploitation: https://cseinstitute.org/
Instances of human trafficking can also be reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource
Center, 1-888-373-7888.