1 August 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita City Council on Tuesday voted 7-0 on Tuesday to approve a new ordinance that fights against human and sex trafficking.
The ordinance would primarily focus on “johns” and the vehicles they use to travel to places like South and North Broadway to buy sexual relations, a violation of Section 5.68.020 of the City code. The ordinance says while in possession of the offender, the vehicle constitutes a continuing danger to the comfort, repose, health or safety of City residents, visitors, businesses and neighborhoods.
“Most of the incidents where this would become involved are proactive, undercover stings that we do. We usually do several of those a year. We estimated, I believe, between 50 and 60 a year,” Capt. Travis Rakestraw, Wichita Police Department, said. “For example, we did a sting as recent as last month, and we made 15 arrests for persons buying sexual relations, and with that, if they were utilizing a vehicle to facilitate this crime, that vehicle would have been impounded on this ordinance.”
The offender’s vehicle would be impounded for a mandatory holding period, which is 72 hours on a first offense, with a second offense up to 20 days.
The owner may contest the impound at a court hearing. If no probable cause for arrest is found, the City would be responsible for the impound fees. The owner may seek release of the vehicle for “undue hardship.”
Rakestraw said the ordinance was modeled after one currently in use in Oklahoma City.