A new high-tech tool to combat sex trafficking was unveiled at the San Diego County Administration Center in Kearny Mesa Monday.
The tool is a 37-foot long mobile command trailer that can be used to find and rescue victims. It holds all kinds of equipment needed during a rescue operation, including drones, electronic gear, and safety equipment.
There are an estimated 4,240,000 missing children nationwide which includes 4,000 missing children here in San Diego. According to the Department of Justice, the majority of those children are runaways but they make perfect targets for sex traffickers.
"Within 48 hours of being on the streets one third of these children are lured or recruited into the underground world of prostitution and pornography," San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar said.
The nonprofit Saved in America will operate the multiple command center.
“We were doing multiple recoveries at the same time so we needed one central point of communications and a central point to put all our electronic gear so we could accomplish what we need to accomplish,” Saved in America founder Joseph Travers said.
The new mobile command unit will also provide a safe place for the parents of victims who at times are on scene during a rescue.
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Since December of 2014 the organization has rescued more than 200 victims from sex trafficking.