January 22, 2026 3:40 a.m.

On Wednesday, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners Issued a proclamation calling upon all citizens of the county to observe the month of January as National Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month.

A county release said the proclamation was issued to raise awareness that human trafficking is a modern form of slavery and to support the efforts of local agencies that work tirelessly to provide prevention education, conduct trainings for first responders, law enforcement and medical students, offer victim assistance programs, advocate for legislation and address the complex needs of local survivors.

The proclamation was presented by Commissioner Chris Boice on behalf of the board and acknowledged that, “It is a critical time to shine a light on one of the world’s most devastating crimes and understand how our everyday connections play a vital role in preventing human trafficking”.

Commissioner Tom Kress presented a proclamation certificate to Violence Prevention Coordinator for the Douglas County Human Trafficking Task Force, Marion Pearson, and the members of her task force that were in attendance.

The task force is a coalition of more than 25 partner agencies committed to educating the community about how human trafficking occurs, recognizing red flags and indicators, understanding risk factors and accessing available resources.

Sheriff John Hanlin addressed the commissioner’s weekly meeting and said, “Human trafficking is a real problem in the country, it’s a real problem in the state and it’s a real problem in Douglas County”. Hanlin said, “Thank you, Commissioners, for bringing this to the attention of everyone and for your support”.

The release said the commissioners encourage citizens to make a commitment to understanding human trafficking, as well as supporting and sharing prevention programs, exploitation material, combat measures and survivor programs that protect local people, communities, and the nation from this heinous crime.