Posted on 03/13/2015 3:06:51 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A recent Washington Post investigation examined asset forfeiture—the process law enforcement can use to seize cash or property even before individuals are convicted of a crime—and the fairness of its use. Controversies have arisen in multiple jurisdictions about automated speed cameras installed by private companies for a cut of revenue from fines, and whether their use was being driven by public safety goals or a desire to maximize revenue.
As part of the report on the Ferguson Police Department, one problem flagged by the Department of Justice was behavior by the department and court system aimed at advancing revenue collection rather than public safety—and that those efforts were managed to ensure that the department was “bringing in revenue at the desired rate.”
...
Given the range of things society expects from our police departments—answering every call for service fast and effectively, actively engaging diverse communities, preparing for security threats like terrorism, and responding to societal problems as varied as drug abuse, mental illness, youth violence and human trafficking—having discretionary resources to allow leaders flexibility in their efforts to do all those different tasks could be a real benefit.
But, the devil is always in the details. Having these assets go (in whole or in part) into the budget of the department that collected them creates an incentive for them to do more—to pursue more resources. This may seem good and reasonable, but the tough question becomes how those incentives play out over the longer term.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
Yep.
The county I live in has a $500k budget item under revenue labeled “Code Enforcement.” The question arises what if nobody violates any codes? The answer is that there are so many rules and regulations for which you can be fined that it is impossible not to violate them. The way you learn that there’s a $1,500 fine for trimming a tree or burning leaves is when you get the ticket.
The county MUST get this revenue because they owe retirement benefits and medical insurance. They MUST have the money and they plan on getting it from the residents. They can’t pass new taxes so they make new codes.
My small town spends almost exactly what they bring in from code enforcement fines on the code enforcers. One of these days one of them is going to catch a beating or worse. And I won’t shed a single tear over it.
Cops are supposed to be peace officers not tax collectors.
Funny, Newsweek never mentioned that this is a Democrat run town, and has been for a long time.
/johnny
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Cops are supposed to be peace officers not tax collectors.
“
We’ve become a society where criminal behavior is legalized, uniformed and credentialed. Defending yourself is criminal.
/johnny
Hi, how you doing?
5.56mm
But I'm still feeling well enough to piss-off the local powers that wanna be. You should have seen when I paid my land taxes this year. They got a free floor show about how those annual taxes were 2 months! worth of groceries.
I don't make it easy.
/johnny
We can’t include the enforcement section of NYPD that went after a fella selling “loosies” cigarettes can we?
All fines and asset forfeitures should go only to charities!
It’s the ONLY way to keep law enforcement at the local, state and federal level honest.
Who sets/regulates citation fees...
Your city council sets the fines for city ordinance violations. Your state may have a fine schedule for moving violations in it’s revised statutes. However, the court of your jurisdiction adds court fees on top of it all which might be the real reason for what you think is the high fees.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AwrSnJ7OegNVTkkARHVPmolQ?qid=20130314081358AAXys3F
I went to college for 1 year a long time ago wanting to be a police officer, but decided to join the Amry instead.
All 3 of my main instructors told us that the police don’t protect anything. They may deter some things, but it’s mostly cleanup after the deed is done in most cases.
Just for Sharpton
“All 3 of my main instructors told us that the police don’t protect anything. They may deter some things, but it’s mostly cleanup after the deed is done in most cases.”
The police enforce the law. they serve, and protect the interests of the government. Often, but not always, this is good for citizens, as robbed businesses/dead taxpayers pay little or no tax.
“Funny, Newsweek never mentioned that this is a Democrat run town, and has been for a long time.”
Democrats cause the continuous need for more revenue, due to failed social engineering programs (crime, joblessness, decay of families) and their insatiable appetite for governmental resources and power to use in “solving” MORE problems.
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