California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Winter Magazine-FINAL | Page 12

WSIN Offers Agencies Assistance on
Human Trafficking Cases
With a free membership to WSIN, agencies can access
a multitude of products and services to assist human
trafficking investigations
By Jinnie Chua, Assistant Editor of In Public Safety, American Military University
One of the greatest challenges in human trafficking cases is making connections
between indicators or behaviors that lead to perpetrators and victims. In their ongoing
investigations, different law enforcement agencies may have pieces of information,
such as phone numbers or locations, that lead to the same trafficker and not
even know it. This is why it’s so important to have the ability to share information
nationwide among local, state and federal criminal justice partners.
Recognizing the need for
information sharing at all levels of law
enforcement, the Regional Information
Sharing Systems (RISS) program was
established in 1974. RISS is composed
of six regional centers that focus on
supporting criminal investigations,
including those involving human
trafficking. The Western States
Information Network ® (WSIN), is
the center that provides services
to agencies in California, Oregon,
Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii,
as well as Canada, Guam, and New
Zealand.
WSIN, along with the other
five RISS centers, offers electronic
database access through a secure,
nationwide communication network
called RISSNET. Through the
RISSNET portal, agencies have access
to RISSIntel, a criminal intelligence
database that allows law enforcement
personnel to deconflict their
investigative subjects, and RISSafe,
an officer safety system that allows
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agencies to deconflict their operations
to avoid a “blue-on-blue” incident.
The WSIN website, the national RISS
Officer Safety Website, and many
other valuable resources are also
available via RISSNET.
“We can’t compel agencies to
discuss their cases with one another,
but we can ensure they’re aware of
collateral investigations in the area,”
said Bob Blanchard, one of WSIN’s
law enforcement coordinators in
Southern California. “The hope is that
they do collaborate and communicate
to solve ongoing cases.”
Supporting Human Trafficking Investigations
In addition to information sharing,
users of WSIN can utilize surveillance
equipment, receive training and
publications, and use analytical staff
to help identify, locate and prosecute
human traffickers. WSIN’s analytical
services are particularly useful to
smaller agencies that don’t have
enough resources or officers to devote
to time-consuming human trafficking
investigations.
“The smaller agencies often
become repeat customers and we, in
effect, become their analytical unit,”
said Tracy Williams, WSIN’s analytical
services manager. “WSIN, and RISS
centers in general, don’t have an
enforcement arm, so agencies know that
we’re not going to take over their case.”
Alicia O’Brien, WSIN’s human
trafficking analyst, explained that
depending on what investigators are
looking for, WSIN analysts can work
with them to provide customized case
support. Analysts perform specific
types of analysis, which are used to
create analytical products, including:
• Association analysis – Results
in an organizational or link chart
that identifies victims and key
players within a human trafficking
organization.
• Communication analysis –
Indicates the communication
between a pimp, victims and