CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — On Thursday, State and local leaders announced the formation of the Northeast Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Person Trafficking Task Force.
Northeast Florida law enforcement leaders, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, State Representative Sam Garrison, Operation Lightshine, and the Tim Tebow Foundation made the announcement in Clay County.
The task force (NEFL INTERCEPT) will be composed of seven Northeast Florida law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal level who are all dedicating full time personnel to take a regional approach in attacking child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
NEFL INTERCEPT is a unique public-private partnership with Operation Lightshine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
They will be assisting the task force by providing financial, technical, and other resources.
This public and private partnership with a law enforcement task force is a first for the Northeast Florida region and is only the second of its kind in the nation sponsored by Operation Lightshine.
The law enforcement agencies partnering in the NEFL INTERCEPT TASK FORCE include the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Nassau County Sheriff's Office, Putnam County Sheriff's Office, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
All seven of these agencies have dedicated full time investigators and resources who will be working to investigate child sexual exploitation and human trafficking cases within the Northeast Florida region.
Leaders involved putting out a call to action to all Northeast Florida residents.
Specifically, we ask you to report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material immediately to your local sheriff's office or federal law enforcement at 1- 866-347-2423.
You can also remain anonymous by reporting the information to First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS or report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through their tip line at 1-800-843-5678 or report it to them online at report.cybertip.org