The Windsor Police Service has launched a targeted campaign to encourage residents to report suspected human trafficking, deploying signs on Transit Windsor bus shelters and buses that describe warning signs and link to a new online reporting tool via a QR code.
Making reporting easier
The initiative aims to lower barriers to reporting and to ensure potential victims are connected to local services. Inspector David DeLuca said the campaign is intended to enlist the whole community in spotting and reporting vulnerable people.
“Look for individuals who are isolated from friends and family. That's usually the first step. If you know someone who was previously gregarious and outgoing and suddenly is now in a new relationship and is suddenly withdrawn, that is usually one of our key factors,”
DeLuca urged people to use the QR code on the advertisements to make an online report where they have concerns.
Local services and the drive to connect victims
The campaign also aims to make it clearer how victims can access help. Shelley Gilbert, Executive Director of Legal Assistance of Windsor, said the initiative provides an opportunity for people to understand what they might be seeing and to reach out for help.
“First people have to report, they have to reach out, they have to ask for the supports. This initiative allows that to happen and I think gives more opportunity for people to understand what they might be seeing and then reach out and ask for some help,”
The combination of visible public messaging and a direct online reporting route is intended both to improve detection and to speed the connection of suspected victims to support services operating in the region.
Recent local enforcement figures
Windsor police said that in 2026 they have laid 43 charges in relation to eight separate human trafficking cases in Windsor and Amherstburg. Officers highlighted that a significant proportion of victims are young: DeLuca warned that many are under the age of 16, and called on residents to be alert to vulnerable teenagers.
| Year | Charges | Cases | Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 43 | 8 | Windsor, Amherstburg |
What residents should watch for
Police have signalled typical indicators they want the public to note. The campaign materials on Transit Windsor property describe some of these signs and direct people to the online reporting form. Inspector DeLuca said isolation from friends and family and sudden changes in behaviour or relationships are among the key indicators.
- Watch for people who appear isolated from friends and family.
- Note sudden changes in personality or new relationships that coincide with withdrawal.
- Use the QR code on bus shelters and buses to access the police online reporting tool.
The police initiative places emphasis on community responsibility: recognising signs early and acting by reporting can help link victims to support and begin investigations.
Windsor residents who spot worrying signs on public transport or elsewhere are being asked to use the QR code on the campaign material to submit information through the online tool, or to contact the police by established channels if they believe someone is in immediate danger.
The campaign highlights the role of visible public messaging combined with digital reporting in a region where policing agencies say they are dealing with multiple trafficking investigations and a worrying number of youthful victims. It is an attempt to bring policing, partner agencies and the public closer together in identifying and protecting vulnerable people in Windsor and neighbouring communities.
