Sequoyah County Commissioners Declare January Awareness Month for Stalking and Human Trafficking

Monday, December 29, 2025 — On Monday, December 29, the Sequoyah County Board of Commissioners met for its weekly meeting at the Sequoyah County Courthouse, where proclamations recognizing two critical public safety issues were presented and approved.

During the meeting, members of the Sequoyah County Coordinated Community Response (CCR) and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) requested that commissioners declare January 2026 as Stalking Awareness Month and Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Sequoyah County.

Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Cindy Smith presented the proclamations to commissioners, emphasizing the importance of education and prevention surrounding both issues. Smith told commissioners that January is nationally recognized for both stalking and human trafficking awareness and shared sobering statistics, noting that Oklahoma currently ranks first in domestic violence-related homicides.

“We want Oklahoma to be number one in many things; however, this is not one of them. We want to do better, and we need to do better.” Smith stated.

The commissioners unanimously approved and signed both proclamations, thanking Smith and her team for their continued efforts to raise awareness throughout Sequoyah County and surrounding communities.

Smith emphasized the importance of public involvement, noting that education and outreach are essential to prevention efforts. “Public awareness and outreach play a vital role in building a well-informed and engaged community, one that actively contributes to the prevention, detection, and response to both stalking and human trafficking,” Smith added.

During her report, Smith also shared information about Savanna’s Law, a new initiative launched in Tennessee, making it the first state in the nation to establish a public registry for domestic violence offenders. The registry is named in honor of Savanna Puckett, a deputy from the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office who was found shot to death inside her burning home in 2022.

Smith encouraged residents to contact their state representatives and senators to support similar legislation in Oklahoma.

The proclamations mark an ongoing commitment by county leaders, law enforcement, and advocacy partners to bring awareness, promote prevention, and strengthen community response to stalking, human trafficking, and domestic violence.

Lindsie Dyer, Staff Writer

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