Diary entry: Corporate Comms out with Modern Slavery teams

NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE

What a lot of people might not realise is police forces across the UK have a Corporate Communications Unit and one part of our job is showcasing the work all the different departments do across our force from the neighbourhood policing teams to the criminal investigation department, the major crime team, protecting vulnerable people teams, domestic abuse and safeguarding teams to the dog unit, and everything in between.

Last week we spent the day with the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking teams (MSHT) who are a niche and specialist department sitting within our Protecting Vulnerable People Unit.

They often deal with offences hidden in plain sight, and Thursday afternoon the team were out and about in Grimsby conducting a day of action alongside police officers and police community support officers from the local neighbourhood policing team.

Routinely, the MSHT teams conduct disruption and intervention visits at businesses like car washes and nail bars. Sometimes, they visit these premises based on information, concerns or suspicions that may come into the team from local officers, the modern day slavery partnership, partners, or members of the community, but often it’s the teams prerogative to proactively engage with owners alongside partners from charities, local authorities, education, and health establishments to build relationships, and ensure everything is how it should be, rather than just simple arresting and enforcing.

Here's a run down of how the day of action went and what we learnt about how it all works when it comes to tackling modern slavery and human trafficking.

1pm: We met with Detective Sergeant Richard Kirk, who heads up the MSHT team, at Hamilton Street station in Grimsby.

Alongside Richard Kirk was Detective Constables Fraser Christie, Robyn Potter, Georgina Weeks and Adrian Wallace, as well as officers from the Grimsby Neighbourhood Policing Team including neighbourhood beat and Op Yellowfin officer Jonathan Whittaker who you may remember from this recent video, beat officer Eleanor Hutchinson, and Police Community Support Officer Petru Hotea who would be assisting MSHT with the day of action.

DS Richard Kirk briefs the team on the plan of action for the afternoon.

1.45pm: Together we head to Louth Road to conduct our first visit at a car wash. Jonathan and Petru cover the entrance to speak with members of the public, whilst Georgina, Robyn, Adrian, Fraser, and Richard engage with the owner and workers, educating them on laws around minimum wage, human rights, and rights to work. After handing them some informative posters, we head onto the next location.

During these visits, the team look out for any common forms of modern slavery or human trafficking at these kind of business establishments such as:

• Forced labour: working for low pay, or no pay, in poor conditions with threats of punishment
• Servants: working at their employer’s home for low pay, or no pay, where they’re often abused and can’t leave

2.40pm: Four of the team come across a road traffic collision on their way to the next visit, and so whilst they wait for roads policing officers to arrive, the other half of the team head back to base on Hamilton Street to plan out the rest of the afternoon.  

3.30pm: Next stop Freeman Street to visit a nail bar with beat officers Jonathan and Eleanor. Adrian and Robyn have a translator on the phone to allow us to communicate with the owners effectively, ask some routine questions, and check paperwork.

MSHT officers are always on speed dial liaising over the phone with translators, Organised Immigration Crime Officers, and the National Command and Control who will also run checks on the owners and workers of these premises to ensure all is in order. This is also a good way to share information and maintain good relationships with partner agencies.

Meanwhile, Georgina and Fraser have come into possession of a dog – looks like one of them might be taking it home temporarily!

Cutaway to Op Yellowfin officer Jonathan Whittaker springing into action when he spots a suspected stolen motorcycle on Freeman Street.

4pm: Another car wash visit on Manchester Street, again speaking to the worker and providing them with some educational materials.

All in all, this was a really successful day of action for the team! For Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking teams, it’s not always about arrests and enforcement, a lot of education and information gathering goes into this line of work too, and success can look very different each time and compared to other police departments.

We would always ask members of the public to stay vigilant, know how to spot the signs of slavery or human trafficking, and know how to report it if you do have any information, concerns or suspicious that it could be happening in your community.

Victims may:

• Be suffering from physical or psychological abuse, appearing withdrawn and looking dishevelled
• Never travel alone
• Avoid eye contact and seem reluctant to have a conversation
• Appear fearful of authorities in particular, law enforcement
• Live in overcrowded accommodation
• Have very few personal possessions
• Have no access to personal ID documents
• Be dropped off and collected at work every day – either very early, or very late
• Seemingly be under the influence of other people

Look again. If you suspect any suspicious activity or any possible signs of modern slavery and human trafficking please report it:

• On our non-emergency number 101
• In an emergency always call 999
• Remain anonymous by reporting to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
• Via the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700

4.30pm: Back to Hamilton Street and a farewell to DC Adrian Wallace who is retiring in approximately six days, not that he’s counting!

And the whereabouts of our furry friend? He has been reunited with his owner!