Norwich is a city of approximately 40,000 residents, located just north of New London in Connecticut. Prostituted-related kidnappings, assaults, and homicides have been well-documented in the city.  For example, in 2002 a mother of two young children was strangled to death by a male sex buyer.

To curb prostitution activity in the city, the Norwich Police Department utilizes several tactics that target sex buyers. Officers have conducted periodic street-level reverse stings since 1978, using undercover female officers as decoys.  In 2008, NPD detectives also implemented a large-scale web sting. After receiving reports of postings soliciting sexual services on Craigslist, officers placed a decoy listing to the site. An undercover female officer then fielded over 20 phone calls from johns interested in purchasing sex, and arranged to meet the men at a predetermined location. As the men arrived, they were apprehended by a backup team. A total of 4 johns were arrested. As per NPD policy, the arrested sex buyers names, identities, and arrest photos were released to the local media.  In September 2017, a street-level reverse sting let to arrest of five sex buyers, whose identities were released to news outlets.

In June 2012, police installed 4 surveillance cameras in the city’s Greenville neighborhood in an effort to monitor drug and commercial sex sales in the area. Officers aim to expand surveillance to 12 cameras by June 2013, using part of the $150,000 awarded to the department by the Norwich City Council in a Development Block Grant.