Staff Reports | Free Press Philanthropy
Phillips Law Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Phoenix-based Phillips Law Group, donated $12,000 to support training for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, health care professionals, child welfare workers and victim advocates focused on identifying and investigating human trafficking cases.
More than 100 public safety and victim services professionals attended the three-day training held in Tempe from Aug. 3-5. The event was hosted by Missing in America Network and the Human Trafficking Training Center, according to a press release.
Led by Dan Nash, founder of the Human Trafficking Training Center, the program provided participants with tools and techniques to help identify potential trafficking victims they may encounter during their daily work.
“Human trafficking is an increasingly urgent issue in Arizona, and the need for specialized training is critical,” Olivia Lemorrocco, vice president of operations at Phillips Law Group, said. “We are honored to sponsor training that gives frontline response professionals the tools and resources to better identify trafficking, help victims and strengthen investigations.”
The training included sessions on interdiction, operations and illicit massage business investigations. Attendees learned how to recognize potential indicators of human trafficking, identify possible victims and apply victim-centered approaches during interactions. The program also covered evidence collection, investigative techniques and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams.
The donation helped support efforts to strengthen trafficking investigations and victim services by providing specialized training to professionals working on the front lines, according to a press release.
“The training was an incredible success, and I’m confident attendees left better equipped to recognize and respond to human trafficking,” Rhonda Dequier, founder of Missing in America Network, said. “Bringing law enforcement, victim advocates and other professionals together for this type of specialized training strengthens our collective ability to identify warning signs, build stronger cases and better support victims. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this training possible and to those who continue doing this important work in their communities.”
