Atwater, CA (January 28, 2026) — Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor I Kelly Ellison, ID A14137, was honored yesterday by Captain Dominguez for her critical role in a human trafficking rescue after a 911 call that initially sounded routine revealed something far more serious.
According to the statement from the Merced CHP:
“Human trafficking doesn’t always look like what you expect and sometimes it sounds like a normal phone call.
Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor I, Kelly Ellison, ID A14137, was recognized today by Captain Dominguez for her actions during a 9 1 1 call that initially came in as an open line but quickly revealed something far more serious.
During the call, the victim spoke to Kelly as if Kelly was a family member. This was done intentionally to conceal the true purpose of the call from the driver of the vehicle. The caller was a victim of human trafficking, desperately trying to reach law enforcement without alerting the suspect.
Kelly’s patience, empathy, and experience allowed her to recognize the danger and carefully guide the conversation. She obtained critical details and immediately relayed that information to the radio dispatcher. Units were coordinated, the vehicle was stopped, the victim was rescued, and the suspect was taken into custody.
Human trafficking relies on fear, control, and silence. This call is a powerful reminder that dispatchers are often the first and most critical lifeline for victims who cannot openly ask for help. One calm voice, one careful response, and one phone call changed the outcome of a life.
Human trafficking is real, it happens in our communities, and awareness saves lives.”
According to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, since 2007 there have been 16,780 identified human trafficking cases in California involving 31,764 victims. These numbers reinforce how often trafficking cases occur in California and why situations like this depend heavily on the training, judgment, and composure of dispatchers who may be the only safe point of contact a victim has.
