St. Lucie is a largely rural county that contains a mid-sized city – Port St. Lucie – and several smaller towns.  Community complaints are referenced by the Sheriff’s Office as a reason for pursing the issue of prostitution, which they chose to address – in part – through efforts to combat demand.  Law enforcement officials have acknowledged prostitution as a substantial local problem.   The first known use of anti-demand tactics in the county is unknown.  A large-scale web-based reverse sting occurred in 2008, which pursued sex buyers as well as sellers and pimps.  Another reverse sting sting occurred in 2011.  In the latter, the names of arrestees were released to the public.  The Sheriff’s Office collaborated with investigators from the Port St. Lucie Police Department on the web-based reverse sting.