334 – Law Enforcement’s Role in Preventing Human Trafficking, with Derek Marsh

Derek Marsh joins Dr. Sandie Morgan as the two discuss the role of law enforcement in preventing human trafficking. Derek Marsh Derek Marsh is the Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice. He is a retired Deputy Chief of the Westminster Police Department, CA, with over 26 years of service. He co-founded the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force and has been a national and international leader in anti-human trafficking training, investigations, and advocacy. A former Bureau of Justice Assistance Visiting Fellow, Derek has worked extensively to improve labor trafficking investigations and task force collaboration. He holds master’s degrees in Human Behavior and Police Management & Leadership and continues to advance education, outreach, and justice initiatives through GCWJ. Key Points It is important to shift law enforcement's focus from a traditional reactive approach (arresting perpetrators) to a proactive model that prioritizes prevention of human trafficking through holistic strategies. There is a strong focus on utilizing victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches in law enforcement to provide appropriate support for victims while addressing the dynamics between victims and perpetrators, rather than solely relying on arrests and punitive measures. There are financial implications of preventative versus reactive responses. Investing in preventive measures could ultimately be more cost-effective than dealing with the long-term consequences of exploitation and incarceration. Collaboration among various stakeholders—including law enforcement, social services, and community organizations—is necessary to effectively address human trafficking and to support prevention strategies that mitigate risk factors for exploitation. Resources Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force Bureau of Justice Assistance Visiting Fellows  Health and Human Services gcwj.org Department of Social Services Enhanced Collaborative Model Transcript Sandra Morgan 0:14 Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University's Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is episode #334: Law Enforcement's Role in Preventing Human Trafficking. My name is Dr. Sandie Morgan, and this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Our guest today is Derek Marsh, an old friend and frequent guest on the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. Derek serves as the Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice. He is adjunct faculty in the criminal justice major, a retired deputy chief of Westminster Police Department, and co founded the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. He's also been a former Bureau of Justice Assistance Visiting Fellow. Derek has worked extensively to improve labor trafficking investigations and Task Force collaboration. We are so grateful that he's on our Global Center for Women and Justice team, and we're eager to dive into this conversation. Derek, welcome. Derek Marsh 1:42 Thank you for having me again. Sandra Morgan 1:43 Yeah, it's kind of hard not to run into you around here. Derek Marsh 1:47 You being the boss and telling me what to do kind of helps. Sandra Morgan 1:49 I know I love it, though, when you were the boss, but I get to have that role now, so it's great. I'm excited because you know how much I love talking about prevention, and usually you're talking about finding the bad guys, locking them up, and making sure they can't do what they did ever again. But now, we're going to look at this from the perspective that law enforcement has a role in preventing human trafficking. Let's start with that question: How do we change our lens so that we're more proactive instead of reactive? Derek Marsh 2:35 It's a difficult lens to change, because a lot of our work in police work is we're rewarded financially,