Red Tape

It seems that red tape only increases when good deeds are in the works. The case at hand is the job done by Saved in America—a completely volunteer organization— that has given its time to fight back against human trafficking. They have teamed up with Casa de Amparo, which is a group safe house for kids who have been rescued from abuse, neglect, or human trafficking. It seems though that their efforts to help make this a safe place for previously abused victims. 

The Problem According to State Officials

The volunteer efforts are using the team at Saved in America to provide a safe perimeter around the facility. Apparently, according to the state, SIA being armed while doing this service means that they are somehow violating the rights of the foster children housed within. Now, anyone who knows the seriousness of this situation will know that they are protecting these kids not hindering their movements, but such is the reality of government oversight and red tape. Although county officials will not give their okay for SIA to continue their patrolling services, the director of Casa de Amparo Tamara Fleck-Myers said their work has prevented runaways from getting into cars with men. She stated that the number of runaways they have experienced since SIA began helping dropped by 18%. She went on to explain the benefits of the program:

“It’s innovative, and it works. We are not going to give it up. We are willing to fight it to the state level.” 

Fire Arms Are For Volunteer Protection, Not to Prevent Kids From Leaving

Founder of Saved in America Joseph Travers explains the purpose of their firearms when patrolling. He explains as follows:  

“Volunteers don’t carry the firearms per se for the surveillance we do. The firearms we carry are for our self-protection.” 

He went on to explain that his team is not security guards, instead, they are investigators who are “conducting surveillance to make sure that predators don’t harm the girls.”

Travers explains that sometimes victims are lured off the property by so-called boyfriends who have either previously pimped them out or desire to do so at that time. Fleck-Myers further explains that the work offered by SIA is very different from what people might assume:

“People have this misguided notion that they grab girls. They are not doing any of that. These guys are just laying back, doing undercover surveillance.”

She went on to add:

“I am more concerned about what one of these pimps would do to these girls than what the Saved in America guys would do.”