Asset seizures fuel police spending

Washington Post ^ | October 11, 2014 | Robert O'Harrow Jr., Steven Rich

[Second Amendment First]

Police agencies have used hundreds of millions of dollars taken from Americans under federal civil forfeiture law in recent years to buy guns, armored cars and electronic surveillance gear. They have also spent money on luxury vehicles, travel and a clown named Sparkles.

Stop and Seize: In recent years, thousands of people have had cash confiscated by police without being charged with crimes. The Post looks at the police culture behind the seizures and the people who were forced to fight the government to get their money back.

“In tight budget periods, and even in times of budget surpluses, using asset forfeiture dollars to purchase equipment and training to stay current with the ever-changing trends in crime fighting helps serve and protect the citizens,” said Prince George’s County, Md., police spokeswoman Julie Parker.

Brad Cates, a former director of asset forfeiture programs at the Justice Department, said the spending identified by The Post suggests police are using Equitable Sharing as “a free floating slush fund.” Cates, who oversaw the program while at Justice from 1985 to 1989, said it has enabled police to sidestep the traditional budget process, in which elected leaders create law enforcement spending priorities.

“All of this is fundamentally at odds with the U.S. Constitution,” said Cates, who recently co-wrote an article calling for the program’s abolition on The Post’s editorial page. “All of this is at odds with the rights that Americans have.”

[Lion Den Dan]

don’t give a crap what the left wing media says. You are trying to say that the police, custom patrol border patrol are training dogs to bark if they detect money and then the police go in and take it, LOL manc, you are either a troll or terminaly uneducated. The dog is trained to bark on a key word like "look," or "find." It is easy to train and the key word may not be associated with the search.

[manc]

you don’t know many K9 officers then as they are trained to either sit or bark when they DETECT drugs, but not frigging money so the cops can take it

[manc]

if you think this is wide spread then I can’t even begin to think what eels you think, but then again I;ve got used to it seeing as some troll liberaltarians come on here

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Read the article, then come back.

[manc]

if you think this is wide spread then I can’t even begin to think what else you think, but then again I;ve got used to it seeing as some troll liberaltarians come on here

[manc]

good grief, go and talk to K9 units for crying out loud instead of thinking some conspiracy crap

[Second Amendment First]

liberaltarians

You must love that boot on your neck.

Or do you wear that boot for my neck?

[manc]

no I think liberaltarians are complete nuts who believe in conspiracy crap while wanting to have their drugs legal, get high, have sex with anything they want , where they want and only can think of themselves.

Good job this is a conservative website which does not have nuts on like this and when they do they get banned like uncle chip and others lately

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Read this article to find out what I am talking about.

manc can't read or write a coherent sentence.

[manc]

checks list, yep on the loony conspiracy ignore list, good bye.

[Second Amendment First]

No what?

Do you wear a government jackboot?

[CyberAnt]

But .. I’m not talking about police units just walking into a neighborhood and taking someone’s home and cars.

I’m talking about DRUG MONEY. It’s all cash .. it has no markings of where it came from. When a drug bust is made, aside from drugs, there is always CASH. That is what I’m talking about.

Many times, there could be up to a few thousand to maybe a few million.

I see no reason for those CASH DOLLARS not to be utilized by police units .. to have better equipment in order to find more of the drug runners coming into America.

It isn’t STUFF - it’s CASH. Get it!!!!!

In my own city, a monumental drug bust captured a helicopter which the drug people owned. After they were convicted, the helicopter was given to the police unit which made the drug bust. It flies over my apartment almost every day; it’s hangar is located just a few miles away. That piece of equipment has been a really great addition to our police dept.

How about losing the condescending attitude. I know exactly what I’m talking about .. and you’re the one who is confusing CASH from a drug bust with illegally appropriating physical property (usually from a cabinet dept police enforcement unit). These people are not real cops - these people are used to intimidate the public.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

No I don’t!!

 

La La La La La La La La Not listening!

[CyberAnt]

What you don’t understand: Most people who have “cash” confiscated .. it’s because they are involved with drugs.

So, that’s my final statement.

[microgood]

if you think this is wide spread then I can’t even begin to think what else you think

Again, from the article:

•There have been 61,998 cash seizures made on highways and elsewhere since 9/11 without search warrants or indictments through the Equitable Sharing Program, totaling more than $2.5 billion. State and local authorities kept more than $1.7 billion of that while Justice, Homeland Security and other federal agencies received $800 million. Half of the seizures were below $8,800.

[CyberAnt]

Oh .. your selfie .. huh ..?????

[manc]

you’re right, lets open the borders and get rid of those pesky border patrol, and customs what a joke, get rid of them because they seize money and drugs too, ah lets get rid of all the law enforcement and have a purge 24.7

sarc

[microgood]

manc can't read or write a coherent sentence.

I do not know why I bother. He just does not grasp what civil asset forfeiture is, and probably never will.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Then ignore me.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Take a look at his writing. It reflects the skills of a slow 4th grader.