On April 27, 2022 Town of Fishkill Police Department and the New York State Police conducted a joint operation targeting prostitution and other illegal activity at the Extended Stay America at 55 W. Merritt Blvd (Westage Center). As a result of this enforcement effort, a total of five people were arrested for prostitution including multiple charges for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Additionally, further investigation yielded a criminal possession of a controlled substance from an associate of a defendant.
Prostitution is commonly associated with human trafficking and illegal drug activity, it is not a victimless crime; ninety-five percent of sex trafficking victims are women or children. As part of this initiative, arrestees were interviewed to evaluate their safety, potential victimization in human trafficking and provide resources to improve their situation.
The goal of these operations is to improve the quality of life for residents of the community, their families, and friends who frequent the area, as well as to harden the target, making Fishkill an unappealing site for criminal activities.