The influence of training and field experience on police knowledge of and familiarity with human trafficking

Purpose: Police knowledge of and familiarity with human trafficking determine whether a victim is referred to services or arrested as an offender, along with other implications. Both field experience and training may affect how police officers recognize and respond to human trafficking scenarios. However, recent research suggests the relationship between officer experience and their ability to identify human trafficking is more nuanced. The purpose of this study is to explore whether experience, training or both are preferable to correctly identifying cases of human trafficking. Design/methodology/approach: To do so, 495 police officers from a large Pennsylvania agency were surveyed about their perceptions of human trafficking. Officer demographics and levels of experience and training were compared to their responses to six human trafficking scenario questions. Findings: Bivariate and logistic regression analyses conclude that training, but not experience working human trafficking cases, is associated with an increase in the likelihood of officers correctly identifying scenarios of human trafficking. These findings are discussed in light of the literature. Originality/value: This study extends previous research by comparing the influence of training and experience investigating cases of human trafficking.