$1M Awarded To Howard County To Fight Human Trafficking

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Two Howard County government agencies will receive more than $1 million in the next three years from the U.S. Department of Justice to prevent human trafficking and to expand support for survivors. The county department of community resources and services and the Howard County Police Department, in partnership with HopeWorks of Howard County, received grants through the DOJ and its office for victims of crime programs. The funding is designed to help state and local jurisdictions nationwide enhance law enforcement capacity and strengthen resources for individuals and families negatively impacted by trafficking.

“We are fortunate to have such talented and compassionate people within our departments, who are completely dedicated to saving lives and improving safety for all residents in our communities,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “It’s a priority of mine to eradicate human trafficking – we must and will continue to protect our residents and their families from this devastation, and holistically support victims who have experienced the worst of humanity. We have zero tolerance for sex or labor trafficking of any kind here in Howard County, and we are honored to work side by side with the department of justice and other jurisdictions in combating this criminal practice.”

Maryland State Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary said the $1.1 million grant takes the legislation she created, the Human Trafficking Vacature Act of 2020, and goes a step further in helping individuals obtain employment, housing, food and other necessary supports that are urgently needed.

"This grant is great news for Howard County where there is no place for human trafficking," she said.

Howard County was the only jurisdiction in Maryland to receive funding under the OVC grant in this recent funding cycle, which awarded more than $97.4 million to states and supporting organizations nationwide.

“Our officers see the effects of human trafficking firsthand,” said Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers. “This grant will enable the police department to add another position focused solely on human trafficking, significantly enhance training and equipment for our investigators, and conduct more frequent operations to target traffickers in Howard County.”