Granite City is a city of 29,000 residents located in Madison County, Illinois and situated in the greater St. Louis, MO metropolitan area. Prostitution and sex trafficking have been well-documented problems in the city for decades. In response to complaints by residents, Granite City police have attempted to combat consumer-level demand by conducting street-level and web-based reverse stings. The names, ages, addresses, and other details about those arrested have been released to the media along with details about the police operations. Vehicles have been seized and arrestees have been held until they post bail or appear in court. The Granite City Police Department has also asked residents to call in with complaints and information about prostitution, including identifying sex buyers.