Area law enforcement is getting ready to tackle the more sinister sides of future major athletic events in the wider Bay Area, such as human trafficking, even if they will also aid the local economy and raise awareness of the area.
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, and Super Bowl LX, which will all be held in the Bay Area and are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists, local law enforcement agencies are collaborating with companies such as hotels to fight human trafficking.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the creation of a working group to address the issue in a webinar held in San Francisco on Tuesday. Almost 200 members of the public, private, and law enforcement sectors participated in the call to talk about their efforts to work together on human trafficking prevention strategies.
The Alliance to End Human Trafficking claims that there may be a spike in demand for commercial sex services during major athletic events like the Super Bowl.
The Cooks County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois reported that 750 sex trafficking arrests were made during a nationwide sting operation that took place across 15 states prior to the 2017 Super Bowl. Houston, the host city, accounted for over 100 of the arrests.
Phoenix, Arizona, the host city of the 2023 Super Bowl, saw a 43% increase in internet sex ads in the month preceding the game compared to 2022. Seventy-five percent of victims said that they had been sold or promoted online, according to the Attorney General of Arizona.
Both public and private organizations, including district attorneys’ offices and hotel firms, are bracing for a potential increase in human trafficking offenses because to the massive inflow of people visiting the Bay Area for numerous events.
During Tuesday’s webinar, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated, “We want to make sure that we have the best protocol and strategy in place when we’re going to have these large-scale public events that we know may attract traffickers.”
California accounted for 12% of all human trafficking cases in the US in 2023. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, a nonprofit that links victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking with resources and support, sex trafficking accounted for the bulk of those cases, with 83% of victims identifying as female.
A government initiative known as the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, or NCHIDTA, aids in coordinating efforts among federal, state, municipal, and private sectors to combat organized crime, particularly drug trafficking. In order to aid local agencies combat these crimes, the NCHIDTA also assists in providing federal resources. Information exchange between state, municipal, and federal law enforcement organizations is facilitated by the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center, or NCRIC.
The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Northern District of California’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, the district attorney’s office and police departments in each Bay Area county, and local restaurant associations and regional hotel chains like Marriott were all connected by the NCHIDTA and NCRIC.
“We cannot do this alone,” stated Northern District of California U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey. “Our working group is here to send a clear message: there is zero tolerance in the Bay Area for human trafficking.”
The webinar participants stated that in order to effectively combat human trafficking at large sporting events, effective communication between various entities is crucial.
“It’s about coming together, building these connections and relationships so that we have the most effective strategies put in place to both protect survivors, prevent people from being victimized, and be able to effectively catch and prosecute those who are committing these crimes,” Jenkins stated.
Sex traffickers may be nomadic, so it’s critical that offenders are apprehended as soon as possible before they depart the area.”We’ve got sex trafficking organizations across the U.S. that can come to our region for major events,” Sena stated. “They’re transitory in many ways which makes it difficult if they are here for a short window of time.”
Additionally, because of its severe personnel shortfall, the San Francisco Police Department requires additional resources in order to adequately investigate sex trafficking.
“While we do have dedicated investigators at SFPD who do focus on human trafficking, it is a part of the division that we need to bolster and will only be able to do so once their staffing numbers increase,” Jenkins stated. “That is why we have to lean on and partner with other agencies, both federal and state as well as other localities in the Bay Area to make sure that we’re working together on these issues.”
Even more significant events, such as Super Bowl LX and multiple FIFA World Cup matches, will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in 2026, while the NBA All-Star Game is held at the Chase Center in San Francisco in February.
The Law Enforcement Investigating Human Trafficking Task Force is already established in Santa Clara County to look into cases of sex and labor trafficking. According to Mike Sena, Executive Director of NCHIDTA and NCRIC, it will play a significant role in the collaboration.
“It’s an opportunity for us to shine in the same way that the Warriors, Giants and Niners have in the past,” Ramsey stated. “But most importantly, it’s to protect victims and make sure that we can try to free people who are caught up in this situation.”
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.