Colorado’s attorney general on Wednesday honored a Denver police sergeant with the 2015 Excellence in Law Enforcement Award known for his efforts to combat sex trafficking.
Daniel Steele is a supervisor on the FBI’s Rocky Mountain Innocent Lost Task Force who gained national attention after being profiled in the 2013 commercial sex trade documentary “Tricked.”
Steele, who has been a police officer for 20 years, has become a figure in the changing battle against human trafficking in Colorado and beyond.
He has also served in other specialized units, including the street crimes attack team, the gang bureau and the vice/drug control bureau.
Steele is deputized through the FBI’s Innocence Lost Initiative as a special deputy U.S. Marshal to combat sex trafficking, state prosecutors said.
“Sergeant Steele brings passion, energy and dedication to combat horrific crimes like those that exploit children,” said Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. “I commend him for his extraordinary ability to communicate both passionately and effectively with victims of violence.”
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
