For Immediate Release:
August 15, 2023 

Contacts: 
Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools: Craig Petinak cpetinak@rcoe.us
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department: mib@riversidesheriff.org
Riverside County District Attorney’s Office: Brooke Beare media@rivcoda.org

Leaders in education, law enforcement, and child advocacy center organizations in Riverside County collaborate on video that showcases warning signs from a student perspective and provides tools for educators and students to take action.

RIVERSIDE - What might it look like if someone you know is being exploited by a human trafficker? What are some of the warning signs that you might be missing? How can students and educators be on the lookout to protect one another and the community?

These challenging questions are what has led to an original video production to combat human trafficking that was created by students in the Desert Sands Unified School District, in partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Coalition to End Human Trafficking Coachella Valley Riverside County at Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center.

The approximately 4-minute video, entitled “Waiting By The Phone”, was written, directed, and edited, by students from Palm Desert High School in the Desert Sands Unified School District to create awareness about human trafficking throughout school communities by identifying warning signs that students might not otherwise recognize.

Introductions of the video by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, provide background and context to motivate students and educators to join forces and look for the warning signs to prevent human trafficking.

“I encourage all educators in Riverside County to share this video with students of an appropriate age who should be protected from this form of modern enslavement that threaten to interrupt their limitless future,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “I applaud our Riverside County Sheriff, District Attorney, and the Coalition to End Human Trafficking in Coachella Valley and Riverside County who are committed protecting the dignity and worth of all 430,000 students in Riverside County.”

“The dedicated Anti-Human Trafficking unit within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was formed in 2010 and is actively preventing and investigating those who are seeking to take advantage of Riverside County residents,” said Riverside County Sheriff, Chad Bianco. “To further that commitment to end human trafficking our county, we need educators, students, and the public, to know the signs and report suspicious activities. Our team remains available to come to your events, trainings, or school assemblies, so you can join the fight to protect one another.”

“Our office is committed to prosecuting human traffickers who attempt to prey on any of the citizens of our county,” said Riverside County District Attorney, Mike Hestrin. “This starts with educating the public about warning signs since the more our students and educators can be on the lookout for one another, the safer we all become in preventing anyone from taking advantage of one of our most valued assets—the youth in our community that represent our future.”

If you or someone you know has observed any of the potential warning signs that might lead you to suspect that they are, or may become a victim of, human trafficking, here are ways you can intervene:

• Contact the Riverside County’s Sheriff’s Department Dispatch Line: 951-776-1099
• Email the Human Trafficking unit at HT@riversidesheriff.org
• Contact the Polaris Project 24/7 at (888) 373-7888 or TEXT “BeFree” (233733)
• Contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.org or (800) 843-5678

The Coalition to End Human Trafficking Coachella Valley Riverside County provides a collaborative united front to human trafficking from the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking task force and other teams, as well as multiple victim service providers throughout Riverside County.

Educators interested in building awareness in their school communities, can schedule trainings and presentations for school assemblies and events. More information can be made available on human trafficking signs and indicators, and how to work together to address human trafficking in Riverside County.

For educational opportunities in schools, contact the Coalition at 760-773-1635 or visit the Coalition to End Human Trafficking Coachella Valley Riverside County website.