Local deputy trained to teach human trafficking awareness in Louisiana

An East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s deputy is the first human trafficking trainer certified thanks to the governor’s office’s new curriculum, internet safety for middle school students.

Deputy Willie Brooks has been teaching human trafficking for five years. While at an event with First Lady Donna Edwards, she realized Brooks is also a DARE officer. Brooks said she told him she wanted to get an internet safety and human trafficking prevention curriculum for middle schools.

That’s when the governor’s office created this curriculum that was approved by the Dept. of Justice.

In July 2021, Brooks and a small group of people, became the first to officially be certified through this curriculum to teach human trafficking awareness.  

“Human trafficking is in every city and it happens more than we know and going through this training allows us to identify it and possibly save lives,” said Brooks.

Brooks said thanks to the training, he’s already getting invitations from all over the state to train people and even others in law enforcement on how to pick up on human trafficking signs.

“I’m excited about it because now it allows me to represent the state of Louisiana. It’s a curriculum where I can train policy officers. A local hotel is bringing me in to train their staff,” said Brooks.

Deputy Brooks currently works with the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s office and is assigned as a school resource officer and DARE instructor at Slaughter Charter School. When school is not in session, Deputy Brooks is a patrol deputy. He’s been in law enforcement since 2006 and previously worked with Baker Police.  

“It’s real hard to find appropriate personnel to be a good school resource officer. You have to have someone who brings all sorts of skill sets. It’s different than a patrol officer, but they also should be able to act quickly if there’s danger to those children and he brings all that to the table. He’s not only that, he’s a good Christian man who truly cares about the kids. East Feliciana Parish and this sheriff’s office are lucky to have him!” said East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis.