SALT RIVER PIMA MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY, Ariz., (April 27, 2023) – Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort, enterprises of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), have been awarded with a Safeguarding All From Exploitation (SAFE) Action Project Certification from the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network (AATN), a coalition of programs fighting against human trafficking in Arizona. The properties will be recognized at a reception held at Talking Stick Resort on April 27, 2023.
The certification was granted because 94 percent of the organization’s personnel completed the required SAFE curriculum as a sex trafficking prevention mechanism leading up to Super Bowl LVII. The training was provided by AATN’s SAFE Action Project, which specializes in providing training to tourism industry professionals to help identify, report and prevent human trafficking.
“We are honored to be the first and only certified casinos in the state to receive such a prestigious recognition from a reputable organization like the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network,” said Anthony Maxwell, Security Director at Casino Arizona. “The safety of our guests is always a top priority for us, and we were mindful that extra precautions were imperative leading up to the influx of visitors for the Super Bowl.”
This training is timely because according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Arizona currently ranks 13th in the country for human trafficking, with 651 signals received and 217 cases of human trafficking identified in 2021 alone.
Making it a point to ensure the training is accessible to all of its staff, Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort set up in-person training sessions and developed an online course, allowing staff to complete the training around the clock. The Enterprises hope to train 100 percent of their staff in human trafficking prevention by the end of the year.
“This SAFE Action Project Certification is just the beginning,” said Maxwell. “We are continuing our efforts in the hopes of training all of our staff to identify, report and prevent human trafficking on our properties and beyond, and we hope other groups in Arizona follow suit.”
For more information on Casino Arizona or Talking Stick Resort, please visit www.casinoarizona.com or www.talkingstickresort.com.
SOURCE Casino Arizona; Talking Stick Resort