Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
Posted on 09/28/2006 5:44:38 PM PDT by elkfersupper
Two men traveling south on Interstate 85 southwest of Lexington Tuesday told Davidson County sheriff's deputies that the $88,000 in cash they had hidden in their car was to buy a house in Atlanta.
Officers with the sheriff office's Interstate Criminal Enforcement unit didn't believe the story after a drug-sniffing dog found a strong odor of narcotics inside the car.
No drugs were found, and the two men weren't charged with a crime, but officers did keep the money, citing a federal drug assets seizure and forfeiture law.
Deputies first stopped the car for following too closely to another vehicle, said Davidson County Sheriff David Grice.
The two men told officers they had flown from Texas to New Jersey and were driving south to Atlanta to buy a house with the money, Grice said.
Federal investigators arrived and took the cash in order to make a case in federal court that the money would fall under federal forfeiture laws.
If a federal judge agrees with investigators, the Davidson County Sheriff's Office would receive 75 percent ($66,000) of the confiscated money.
"It takes about a year for the money to come back to the county," Grice said.
The money then would make its way into the sheriff's office general fund, where it could only be used for enhancement purposes, such as new equipment or additional training.
Grice said as a general rule the sheriff's office cannot count on forfeiture money, noting the money isn't a sure thing and can fluctuate from year to year.
But the Davidson County Sheriff's Office has had positive results in the past after bringing in $1.6 million in 2005 and $1.4 million in 2004.
This year Grice said officers have brought in about $400,000.
"It allows us to buy equipment without using taxpayers' money," Grice said.
Replacing older vehicles, installing newer radios in patrol cars and installing a new camera system in the jail were all paid for by drug forfeiture money, Grice said.
No, I am not.
I'm just saying that I'm starting to understand why it happens.
Sorry about your partner, and wish him or her well.
We recently lost a deputy sheriff in this community to a thug stopped for a license plate light violation.
Maybe we should reconsider threatening people with fines and imprisonment for burnt-out lightbulbs and other such things.
Defense counsel: Could the dog testify?
Prosecutor: Dogs do not talk English, so no.
Defense: Hmm, but you said that the dog "felt strongly". How do you know?
Cops: We know the dog. We interpret for him.
Defense: Is there a standard translation for dog-speak to English?
Cops: We have 18 years of experience with dogs. They always say what we want them to say.
Defense: OK. How long does the average dog live? How many years are the peak between puppyhood, training, and retirement? How does a dog's reporting depend on when it was last fed?
Cops: These questions are irrelevant. My dog is always my friend and companion, he loves me, we love him....{ tears to flow}.
Defense: Let's go back to smells and pheronomes. Dogs smell a lot to see when other dogs are in heat. Are drug smells related to sex in dogs?
Cops: Our dogs are not gay. When a dog smells hashish, parchment paper, mint tootpaste, or odor of a cat, he will bark.
Defense: So you agree that traces of sex hormones or cats or other chemicals might affect the dog's speech?
Cops: Nonsense. Dogs always report what we want them to say. And it's neat, because you can't cross-examine them. So there.
Why isn't this theft?
It is.
IMO there is A LOT more to this than what is reported. Do you really believe the cops just 'accidentally' stopped this car and just happened to find the money? Have FReepers on this thread, who are so quick to villanize the cops and the police department, ever heard of a sting?
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
"No drugs were found, and the two men weren't charged with a crime, but officers did keep the money,...."
I can't wait to see the FR support for such an abuse of individual liberty.
"but I sure hope you aren't saying this in ANY way justifies shooting a police officer."
Defending a life savings from being stolen under the force of government sponsered guns is not a legitimate use of defensive force?
No!
"Are people threatened with imprisonment for burned out light bulbs? I've never heard of that one before."
What happens if the fine is not paid?
Then what is worth defending?
Don't worry, the majority of FReepers, at least on this thread, choose to side against the police.
If you don't like the law, change it.
Just keep in mind, things aren't always what they seem, and you can't believe most of what you read or hear in the news.
This Country!
Yes, freedom and liberty are also worth defending, but shooting a police officer is not the way to accomplish that.
I'm troubled by what this law says as well, but I don't think the whole story is being presented here.
I'm sure things have changed a lot since since I was a cop, but I do know there are valid reasons some of these things are done, and it's not as random as it appears in this story.
I have to go for now...have a great day, and just remember, there are a lot of GOOD cops too!
"This Country!"
What is this country if the citizens do not have the right to protect their property? Yes, money is nothing more than earned property.
"Yes, freedom and liberty are also worth defending, but shooting a police officer is not the way to accomplish that."
In cases such as this, the police officers are nothing more than theives. That anyone would defend this type of activity is sickening and a clear sign that the tenents of our founders have been abolished. The WOsD has wrought great damage on freedom and individual liberty.
"but I do know there are valid reasons some of these things are done,"
Name one valid reason that money is confiscated without the victim being charged with a crime.
"there are a lot of GOOD cops too!"
I agree. Now, how is your average citizen supposed to be able to tell the difference as they are being approached by a police officer? How can they tell if it is a good cop or just a government endorsed theif.
The fact that this department is bragging about their take over the last 3 years leads me to believe that they have created a lot of victims.
Yes, they are.
Thanks to law enforcement being used as revenue enhancement, there are millions of people out there who have had adverse encounters with law enforcement personnel.
That amounts to "priors" on a traffic stop.
You would be surprised how many people on the margin have had their lives completely ruined by this.
Speaking for myself, I would defend a "Peace Officer" with my armament, my life, and my fortune.
I wouldn't walk across the street to urinate on a "law enforcement officer" if they were on fire.
There is no valid reason. It's theft legalized through anti-drug hysteria.
Would it justify shooting an armed robber masquerading as a cop?
I must admit, I'm surprised to read that from a Marine.
Thank you for your service.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.