The City of Port St. Lucie has become the first city in Florida to join Attorney General Ashley Moody's 100 Percent Club, with over 1,000 city employees completing anti-human trafficking training. This initiative aims to equip municipal workers with the skills needed to identify and report human trafficking.
Attorney General Ashley Moody emphasized the importance of combating human trafficking in the state, citing the growth of social media and border issues as contributing factors. "With the evolution of social media and four years of a wide-open border, it’s more important than ever that we step up efforts to combat human trafficking within our state," she stated. She also expressed excitement about adding Port St. Lucie to the 100 Percent Club and thanked the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking for their support.
Port St. Lucie City Manager Jesus Merejo highlighted public safety as a top priority for the city. "The City of Port St. Lucie is proud to be the first municipality to join the Florida Attorney General’s ‘100 Percent Club’ by having 100% of city staff receive training from the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking," he said.
State Representative Toby Overdorf commended Councilman Bonna's initiative and praised Port St. Lucie's actions against human trafficking. "So grateful for Councilman Bonna’s initiative and the actions of the City of Port St Lucie to take this cognitive step forward in the fight against human trafficking," he remarked.
Councilman Anthony Bonna and State Representative Toby Overdorf joined Attorney General Moody for this announcement in Port St. Lucie, which is noted as one of America's fastest-growing cities. The presence of tourist attractions like the New York Mets spring training facility underscores the importance of vigilance against human trafficking.
The 100 Percent Club is part of a larger effort by Attorney General Moody, initiated in 2022, which encourages businesses and communities across Florida to train their employees on recognizing potential human trafficking situations safely. More than 53 entities have joined this program, training over 12,000 Floridians so far.
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