By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables Commission held off on passing a resolution that would require the city’s emergency personnel to undergo additional training in human trafficking, sexual assault and abuse at its February 24 meeting, saying more clarity was needed on how expanded training would work and what gaps it would fill.

Commissioner Melissa Castro sponsored the measure and met familiar resistance from a majority of commissioners who questioned both its intent and practical impact. Mayor Vince Lago, whose clashes with Castro have become commonplace at meetings, signaled support for the concept but ultimately backed a motion to defer the item after concerns from Commissioner Richard Lara and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson that the proposal required further study.

Commissioners spent nearly two hours debating the issue, hearing testimony from anti-trafficking advocates who urged stronger, year-round training, as well as detailed presentations from the city’s police and fire chiefs outlining existing protocols and regional coordination efforts.

At times, the discussion veered into the political tensions that have defined recent meetings, with accusations of grandstanding interspersed with substantive debate over policy, with commissioners visibly frustrated at the length of the discussion and in-fighting.

Resolution sought to implement timelines for additional training

Castro’s resolution would direct the city manager to ensure that all fire rescue and emergency medical personnel complete an assault, human trafficking and abuse training course within six months. It would also require new hires to complete similar training within six months of employment and mandate ongoing additional training thereafter.

Castro said the proposal followed more than a year of research and consultation. In a statement after the meeting, she said she had met with nonprofit organizations, studied best practices and worked with professionals in the field to understand how local governments can strengthen anti-trafficking efforts. She said she was prepared to present what she described as a structured, year-round, trauma-informed training model tailored for firefighters and emergency personnel.

Castro emphasized that the proposal carried no fiscal impact and could leverage state resources. “There is never enough to say this is enough training,” she said, arguing that trafficking is evolving and “invoking into our community so deeply.” She said the goal was year-round awareness, not just event-driven preparation tied to major gatherings like FIFA World Cup matches.

Even from early on in the discussion, Castro understood that her resolution would not get support from most of the commission. “Most commissioners here have their minds made up already before this item even came up. That’s really said,” she said, before implicating the city manager. “I understand teh city manager – without event talking to me – opposed my resolution before even saying anything it just by reading the language.”

Human trafficking experts who addressed the commission echoed that sentiment, urging the city to take a proactive stance as South Florida prepares for a surge in international visitors.

Dr. Glenda Perez, vice president of the Miami-Dade Sexual Assault Response Initiative, and Marivi Betancourt, the organization’s executive director and a member of the Miami-Dade Domestic Violence Oversight Board, told commissioners the initiative offers a certified, in-person training curriculum focused specifically on trauma-informed response to human trafficking, sexual assault and abuse. They contrasted that approach with generalized or online modules, arguing that direct instruction allows first responders to better recognize subtle indicators and respond appropriately in real time.

Betancourt said the model is designed to integrate healthcare, law enforcement and victim advocacy into a coordinated response.

In published reports, Perez framed the issue as one that extends beyond policing. “These are healthcare issues. This is not just a law enforcement issue,” she told the Miami Herald. “We either work together to solve it, or we continue to make it worse by continuing to fragment the services.”

Police Chief Ed Hudak and Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa, however, outlined what they described as comprehensive existing training. The fire chief said human trafficking falls under broader “vulnerable population” medical protocols that are reviewed and tested annually, incorporated into advanced life support assignments and reinforced during promotional exams. He noted that the department uses an online training platform, Vector Solutions, to deliver accredited coursework, including modules specific to trafficking awareness.

“Our medical protocols and our fire department standard operating procedures are constantly evaluated and trained on,” De La Rosa said, adding that staff also participate in regional domestic security task forces where intelligence is shared across agencies.

Hudak stressed that victims of trafficking and sexual crimes are protected under Florida law and that police do not contact federal immigration authorities when someone is identified as a victim or necessary witness. He said the department works closely with the State Attorney’s Office and participates in joint enforcement operations targeting traffickers.

Majority sees holes in resolution; questions effects

Lara questioned whether the resolution identified a specific deficiency or merely called for “additional training” in broad terms.

“When you use a word like additional training so broad, how could you not say let’s do additional training?” he asked, suggesting the city already updates protocols organically as new intelligence emerges.

Lago, while recounting his past anti-trafficking efforts including spearheading a 2016 ordinance banning hourly motels in Coral Gables and establishing cross-jurisdictional enforcement agreements with the City of Miami, characterized the proposal as “a feel-good resolution.”

“We have to vote for it at the end of it because if we don’t vote for it, tomorrow we’ll be in the blogs saying we are in favor of human trafficking,” Lago said, calling that dynamic “a trap.” He defended the city’s record, citing joint enforcement operations and legislative initiatives he said were first-of-their-kind locally.

Anderson, drawing on her legal background, said the larger gap may lie in public education rather than first-responder training. She described cases in which residents failed to report suspicious activity because they did not recognize the warning signs.

“The public is our eyes and ears,” Anderson said. “Call the police. Let the police connect the dots.”

Fernandez defends intent; criticizes opposition

Commissioner Ariel Fernandez pushed back on what he described as reflexive opposition to Castro’s item. CommissionerHe said that commissioners bring up issues all the time that are unfinished products and staff fills in the specifics. He suggested the resolution could serve as a starting point rather than a final blueprint. Fernandez also said he had not heard any of the objections that were brought up at the commission from the chiefs or city manager prior to the meeting, when they potentially could have been addressed beforehand.

Ultimately, a majority supported deferring the item to allow for further refinement and consultation with the city manager, police and fire departments, and potentially the State Attorney’s Office.

Miami-Dade County recently received more than $1 million in state funding designated for expanded anti-trafficking enforcement and coordination efforts, according to public announcements by county officials. Supporters of Castro’s proposal pointed to that funding as evidence that additional local training initiatives could align with broader regional priorities.

Florida ranks third nationwide in reported human trafficking cases, according to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, behind California and Texas. The ranking has intensified focus on preparedness across South Florida as international events approach.

With the FIFA World Cup and other major events only months away, city, county and regional agencies are bracing for a potential increase in sex and human trafficking activity. While Coral Gables’ public safety leaders expressed confidence in current preparations, any expansion of mandated training will have to wait, at least for now.