In 2021, California Highway Patrol (CHP) Sergeant Charlie Riley (Emergence 2002) joined the CHDS Emergence Program with one goal: to improve how his agency responds to human trafficking. Today, that initiative is driving structural change across the state’s largest law enforcement agency, ushering in a new era in CHP’s approach to complex crimes.
Riley’s idea began a few years earlier, when he was working on a statewide multi-agency gang task force, listening to wiretaps which revealed alarming signs of human exploitation. At the time, however, the task force lacked the capacity and focus to move on these early warnings.
“We didn’t act on it the way we should have,” Riley said. “At the time, human trafficking wasn’t a priority.”
CHP had only four officers assigned full-time to trafficking task forces: two in Los Angeles, one in Orange County, and one in San Diego. Training was also outdated. The last department-wide effort Riley recalled was a four-hour PowerPoint course mandated in 2009 during a statewide awareness campaign.
“It barely scratched the surface,” he said. “It was incredibly inadequate for what the topic deserved.”
Recognizing this gap, Riley sought to create a lasting solution. While enrolled in Emergence, he developed a change initiative entitled, California Highway Patrol Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative. He proposed a three-part strategy: increase staffing, modernize training, and develop field-ready reference materials.
Riley credits the CHDS Emergence Program with giving him the tools and perspective to tackle a systemic problem like human trafficking. Emergence provided a structured environment to analyze CHP’s existing resources, study best practices from across the country, and design a plan which was both scalable and realistic.
By connecting him with mentors, peers, and national experts, Emergence helped Riley refine his vision, anticipate challenges, and gain credibility when presenting his proposal to leadership.
The proposal wasn’t adopted immediately—staffing shortages stalled progress. Yet Riley’s determination didn’t waver. He returned to patrol, continued refining the plan, and eventually transferred to CHP headquarters in Sacramento in early 2023.
This move proved timely. CHP was beginning to formalize its non-traffic enforcement efforts through a new Office of Criminal Investigations, providing the perfect platform for Riley’s initiative. By mid-2025, he was selected to lead the newly-created Major Crimes Unit, which focuses on human trafficking and cold case investigations.
“We’re building the structure, and I anticipate hiring full-time investigators in the near future,” he said, adding that his current work includes identifying strategic locations for future task force assignments and coordinating with local and federal agencies.
Riley is working to integrate the CHP with Sacramento County’s new human trafficking task force, as well as monitoring the development of a federal task force in Oakland.
“The most effective way to make an impact is to get people assigned to the few task forces that exist in Northern California, and grow our unit from there,” he said.
Training is another critical component of Riley’s vision. CHP’s Field Support Section has rolled out an eight-hour human trafficking course, and Riley hopes to enhance its content as his new unit develops. He brings years of field experience and specialized instruction, including training from the nationally recognized Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force.
“I feel like the CHP is making strides in terms of awareness, and I’m looking forward to building upon that,” he said.
His motivation to build the Major Crimes Unit is both professional and personal.
“It’s 2025, and we still have slavery,” Riley said. “The idea that people are being bought and sold anywhere is unacceptable. That’s why this matters.”
As a parent, he’s especially focused on the age of victims. “The average age for a child to be introduced into the world of sex trafficking is 12-14 years old. I’m a parent and have nieces and a nephew. They are a big part of what motivates me.”
Riley is building a solid foundation for this new unit. He’s setting up reporting structures, integrating new technology, and forging partnerships across local and federal lines.
“Emergence gave me the tools to think strategically and the confidence to pursue something meaningful,” Riley said. “I came in unsure of what I’d tackle, but I left knowing exactly what needed to change—and how I could help make it happen.”
Riley’s passion for his job and the grit to see his ideas through make his initiative more than a policy shift: it’s proof that persistence, strategy, and real-world experience can transform public safety and create real-world impact.
