Attorney general announces new human trafficking bureau

MADISON, Wis. — Attorney General Brad Schimel announced the establishment of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Human Trafficking Bureau.

Wisconsin law enforcement in nearly every Wisconsin county reported that human trafficking occurs in their community in a statewide assessment.

Recognizing this as a problem, this bureau is making an effort to develop a coordinated statewide strategy to identify, target and prosecute traffickers in order to combat human trafficking and provide needed assistance to survivors, according to the release.

“Human trafficking is an insidious crime that affects victims in small and large communities, rural and urban,” Schimel said.

There are some local and regional task forces to fight human trafficking in parts of Wisconsin, and the bureau plans to work with these task forces by providing specialized training and community outreach. There are also plans to work with Legislature on policies to support greater law enforcement coordination and enhanced victim services, according to the release.

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