BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As visitors come in from across the county and beyond, the opening of the Tejon Casino is raising a new question — could a large, high-traffic venue bring new safety challenges?

With the opening of the Tejon Hard Rock Casino, we're taking a closer look at safety — including human trafficking concerns and the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people.

Ofelia Flores is a Community Advocacy Program Lead for the Tejon Indian Tribe, and she says, "I think MMIP and human trafficking intertwine because a lot of the same vulnerabilities exist in both."

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office says human trafficking — both sex and labor-related — is always a concern in high-traffic areas, especially around large events in more secluded locations. KCSO recently opened a

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