NEW funding is enabling a crack team to be developed to spot human trafficking and rescue victims, many of them in Bradford.

It has been revealed that concerted efforts by authorities to tackle human trafficking has seen a 100 per cent increase in rescued victims in West Yorkshire this year.

But former police chief Allan Doherty, the Bradford-based director of programmes for the charity Hope For Justice, said money from the Ministry of Justice would allow for the training of 3,500 frontline professionals.

Mr Doherty, a retired chief superintendent who commanded the Airedale and North Bradford police division, was speaking after the second meeting, at Lawcroft House police station in Bradford, of the West Yorkshire Anti-Trafficking Network, set up to bring organisations together to help human trafficking victims.

Chaired by retired West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable John Parkinson, and attended by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson, representatives of local authorities including Bradford Council, the NHS, Department for Work and Pensions, probation, police and outreach workers, the meeting discussed the training plans.

Mr Doherty said: "Training will help us to identify victims and take appropriate action. Organisations are more effective working together than on their own."

He said key people in each organisation were being identified for training, and he is to have a further meeting with Bradford Council.

Mr Doherty said that the number of victims rescued so far this year in West Yorkshire was 84, an increase of 100 per cent, and compared to a national figure of 1,746.

He said: "It is a sizeable proportion of the national figure, but that doesn't mean West Yorkshire has a bigger problem than anywhere else. Investigations conducted jointly by Hope For Justice and the police have seen more victims identified and rescued than would otherwise have been."

He said one aspect of human trafficking was the grooming of vulnerable young girls for sex by gangs of men.

"A lot of these grooming cases would not have occurred if we'd had this joined up approach to the problem," he added.

Mr Burns-Williamson said: “The importance of rolling out training and increased awareness around this horrific practice has again been highlighted.

“Training with front line staff around human trafficking has created an increased understanding of the signs of this crime and the implications, but there is more we need to do. Victims are subsequently more confident in coming forward to the police, but there is a need to always deliver best practice with partners and ensure they are trained so everyone knows the signs and indicators of someone being trafficked.

“I believe the WYATN will lead the way nationally in tackling this awful crime and bringing perpetrators to justice and partnership working is key to this. Safeguarding vulnerable victims and human trafficking are key priorities in my refreshed Police and Crime Plan and I have made a personal commitment to helping those affected.”