Tarrant County commissioners have accepted a grant that will help fund the county’s critical work in the fight against human trafficking, a crime that’s growing at an alarming rate.
In January, the commissioners court approved a grant application seeking $423,000 to continue funding the Human Trafficking Unit within Tarrant County’s Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
The grant is provided by the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division.
The court accepted the grant on Tuesday, awarding the Tarrant County CDA’s Office $423,919 to partially fund one attorney, one investigator, and one legal secretary in the HTU. The grant term spans from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.
Texas Family Project President Brady Gray applauded the approval, telling Texas Scorecard that the work Tarrant County is doing to end human trafficking is an example for other counties.
“Tarrant County’s proactive work to end human trafficking is a testament to the strong leadership of Judge Tim O’Hare and Sheriff Bill Waybourn,” said Gray. “They are setting the standard for how large counties should operate and ensuring Tarrant County will remain a great place to raise a family.”
Human trafficking is a growing problem across Texas, including in Tarrant County and its largest city, Fort Worth.
Last year the City of Fort Worth saw a 21 percent increase in human trafficking cases, with 19 incidents logged in 2022 compared to 24 in 2023.
However, according to the Fort Worth Police Department’s 3rd Quarter Crime Report, 2024 has seen fewer human trafficking cases thus far with a total of 17.
After Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare told Texas Scorecard that the grant is “vital for the continued operation and success of the Human Trafficking Unit in the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office and will fund essential positions within the Unit, enabling Tarrant County to continue its critical work in the fight against human trafficking.”
“Human trafficking is an alarming and growing issue across Texas, and this unit plays an indispensable role in addressing these heinous crimes,” added O’Hare. “By ensuring continued funding, the Human Trafficking Unit will continue to seek justice for victims and work to dismantle criminal networks that exploit and harm the most vulnerable members of our community.”
