Aberdeen, a city of approximately 17,000 residents, is located two hours southeast of Seattle in Grays Harbor County, Washington. Prostitution and sex trafficking are documented problems in the city.  City police conduct periodic street-level reverse stings, driven in part by complaints from local residents and businesses.  At least five such operations were conducted between 2010 and 2015, resulting in the arrest of 18 johns.  The identities of the offenders were not made public.  At times, Aberdeen police have collaborated with the Seattle Police Department.

For example, in October 2015 three men were arrested in Aberdeen during a prostitution sting. Uniformed and plain clothed officers of the Aberdeen Police Department participated in an enforcement detail targeting persons involved in prostitution and the patronizing of prostitutes. During the 6 ½ hour period the officers worked on this detail, 5 persons were arrested. 2 females (both 43-year-old Aberdeen residents) were arrested for Prostitution and 3 males (ranging in age from 38-55) were arrested for Patronizing a Prostitute. One of the females was also arrested for Violation of the Unified Controlled Substance Act (a felony). Proactive enforcement details such as this are commonly conducted by the Aberdeen Police Department in order to address concerns brought to our attention by business and community members.