Michael Bushnell
Northeast News

East Patrol Division’s Targeted Impact Squad hit the Avenue Tuesday with a prostitution sting operation along Independence Avenue. During the morning hours the team targeted the prostitutes working Independence Avenue. Department Social Workers rode with undercover officers and counseled the arrestees to aid in their breaking the cycle of street level prostitution and human trafficking. According to East Patrol Social Trena Miller, one of the three arrested in the morning hours indicated a desire to get off the street. “I think she was sincere” said Miller. “She had that look in her eye”.

During the afternoon hours, the focus of the operation focused on the Johns. After the female decoy was deployed on the street, it took roughly three minutes for the signal to be given to take down teams who followed the John and made the arrest. Detectives with the Department’s Vice Unit worked together with Impact Squad Officers and social workers throughout the day on the operation.

At the end of the day, during the Northeast portion of the operation, six arrests were made along the Avenue, three in the morning and three in the afternoon, clearing one Felony Warrant, along with warrants from Kansas City Kansas and Independence Missouri.