Combating Human Trafficking: Recommendations for Police Leadership in Establishing Transnational Collaboration

Abstract

Human trafficking is one of the fastest and continuously evolving transnational crimes of this century, preceded only slightly by gun and drug trafficking; yet it is projected that human trafficking will soon surpass both unless government and nongovernmental officials throughout the world take immediate, collaborative action to deter and punish traffickers and educate and protect prospective trafficking victims. For that reason, combating human trafficking requires ongoing national and international communication, cooperation, and collaboration, particularly amongst law enforcement leadership across the globe. Only then will law enforcement be able to limit the ability of traffickers to operate freely and help prevent future victims from being trafficked. The primary purpose of drawing international attention to this chapter is in illuminating the challenges of police leadership in combating incidents of transnational human trafficking as well as to propose plausible to assist and support future global leadership and collaboration within and across police agencies.