With hundreds of area drivers giving rides at all times of the day, Uber can be a valuable tool in fighting human trafficking, an audience of largely criminal-justice professionals was told Wednesday.

“We have a unique footprint in the communities where we operate,” said Dave Barmore, an Uber public policy manager based in the Washington, D.C., area. He was at the Modesto Police Department for a roundtable discussion on human trafficking hosted by U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock.

In the U.S. alone, Barmore said, Uber has nearly 1 million active drivers, many of them part-timers who work at night and early morning. Uber saw the importance of raising awareness of its drivers and educating them on how to spot signs of human trafficking and report suspicious behavior, he said.

Through its driver app and its larger-market Greenlight hubs where drivers can get in-person support from Uber staff, the company has shared tips, hotline numbers and other information, he said.

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