SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ)- January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but one local sheriff is doing more than just making people aware.
Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber is not afraid to make Shawano County the ending location for sex predators.
“We want to be well know for arresting sex predators that prey on our children” he said. “Prevention is our goal and safety of our children and families is number one in Shawano County.”
Bieber said it is similar to what Rosendale did with speeding. Officers started pulling over and ticketing drivers for going even one mile over the speedlimit there, and now almost everyone knows not to speed in Rosendale, and the numbers of speeders have gone down with strict enforcement. Bieber says the same idea can work here.
“If there are predators that are interested in juveniles in Shawano County, we want them to think twice about coming here. There is a high likelyhood that if you will be arrested if you come to Shawano County to prey on children.
Since 2014, when he became Sheriff, Bieber says they have lured and arrested over 60 traffickers. He said the number of predators is high, but not surprising.
“It is a symptom of a lack of a moral code that we have in society today. I think if we get back to our family values, we can reduce that.”
The Sheriff’s Department offers classes for parents on how to protect their kids, and they continue to be transparent with their efforts in making arrests.
“I really think that the best way to solve this problem is to educate the public and to work with them” Bieber said.
Bieber said they will continue to do what is necessary to keep sex predators out of Shawano County.
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Since becoming Sheriff, Bieber and his staff have lured and arrested over 60 predators. The Sheriff’s Department makes their success efforts known through social media, and takes time to offer classes to parents on tips to protect their kids from online predators.
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber says his staff is working extra hard to not just spread awareness, but making Shawano County an online trafficking arrest capitol. He says along with luring and arresting predators, his department has additional responsibilities when it comes to fighting this monster.
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Bieber said he is surprised just how many online predators are out there, and how easy it is to lure them. Since he became Sheriff in 2014, the county has lured and arrested over 60 predators, and looks to continue to increase that number. He says he wants predators to be afraid to come to Shawano.
