GREEN BAY (NBC26) — The NFL Draft is less than four months away and safety remains a top priority.
A local organization sees the need for greater prevention of sex trafficking and is asking Brown County for a financial contribution.
- Awaken, an anti-trafficking non-profit organization is requesting $20,000 from Brown County for emergency services and prevention efforts against trafficking during the 2025 NFL Draft.
- Green Bay police said human and sex trafficking prevention is a part of their everyday operation and works with local organizations in those efforts.
- Police explain the key role trafficking prevention has on safety plans for the Draft.
- Police, Awaken reminds the public that awareness and preparation are not meant to spark fear, but proactivity.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
"(It is) not to create action of fear, but action of awareness," Kasia Klaus, Executive Director of Awaken, said.
Awareness of the NFL Draft, the large crowds it will bring, and the potential impact on human and sex trafficking.
"It's so pivotal that our community is aware of what it actually looks like and what it looks like on a local level," Klaus said.
Awaken is an anti-human trafficking non-profit organization.
With a quarter of a million people projected to visit Green Bay for this year's draft, being proactive on increased crime, like sex trafficking, she said, is a necessity.
"There is a false narrative that all trafficking happens through abductions and kidnapping and that's actually one percent of the population we work with," Klaus said. "Most of it comes through grooming through relationship."
Klaus said the organization is requesting $20,000 from the county to combat trafficking — Half of which will go towards emergency services.
The other $10,000 will be for prevention efforts.
"We're aware of it, we have the tools internally and with our partners to handle it and it is an important piece in our day-to-day operation," Capt. Ben Allen of the Green Bay Police Department said.
Capt. Allen of Green Bay police said they, too, are working to educate the public on trafficking. He said they're being proactive for the NFL Draft.
"It has been a conversation we've had with Detroit (Police Department) in our planning process and what they went through and what they planned," Allen said.
Capt. Allen said Detroit Police did not see a drastic increase in trafficking arrests during the 2024 NFL Draft, but they still had a plan and worked it into overall security training.
"We have a great response plan in case these things happen and really that's where we are in that process," Allen said.
Green Bay Police said they continue to work with organizations such as Awaken, which has served 166 victims of sex trafficking since 2022.
Working together, police said, is part of building a sound safety plan for the NFL Draft.
"We want this to be the safest event possible and we think we have a good plan going in that will be the end result of a safe event, just like they had in Detroit," Allen said.
The $20,000 request has passed its first step.
Next up: A potential approval at the County Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 19.
Community members are encouraged to dial 920-212-SAFE to report a potential incident.
You can also remain anonymous by reporting to crime stoppers.
Green Bay police say this is a "see something, say something" campaign that's been going on before the draft and will continue after the draft.
