Police Use Department Wish List When Deciding Which Assets to Seize

This is ridiculous. I understand that there are some individuals whose crime or crimes may involve an asset seizure. However, when law enforcement begin targeting someone just because they drive a nice car or have an expensive house is outrageous.

"Don't worry about the laptops or the jewelry, go for the cars, tv's." That's the advice given to LEO during a seminar last September in New Mexico.

Source

In one seminar, captured on video in September, Harry S. Connelly Jr., the city attorney of Las Cruces, N.M., called them “little goodies.” And then Mr. Connelly described how officers in his jurisdiction could not wait to seize one man’s “exotic vehicle” outside a local bar.

These guys are drooling over what they can seize from the next guy. It doesn't matter if your guilty or not, if they suspect someone is in involved in a crime, BAM, there goes your car.

In September, Albuquerque, which has long seized the cars of suspected drunken drivers, began taking them from men suspected of trying to pick up prostitutes, landing seven cars during a one-night sting.

Really, for suspecting someone MIGHT pick up a prostitute, talk about desperate. These guys are doing whatever they want. Finding new ways to take or basically steal another's property without even have been tried in a court of law.

Asset forfeiture might make sense for drug kingpins perhaps but that's it.
Why they have the ability to seize and keep anyone's property is an abomination of due process.
Yet Zombie banks like Chase who have clearly committed fraud are not only let off the hook but bailed out by taxpayers.
The world is upside down.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Clearly so...they don't give a hoot for the disproportionate affect it has on innocent people who may have let someone borrow their property.

Just take it, then we'll offer a ransom for the property if they want it back. And of course if your poor you lose your money or a vehicle.

Christmas is coming up.

I never "got" the concept of asset forfeiture for minor crimes, and now they're taking the cars of people trying to pick up prostitutes (who apparently don't legally own their own bodies), in essence giving somebody a ride (literally). To take the cars of johns also often removes the family car from use by wives and children. Better to ride a bike to the red light district, at least that way the poor sap gets some fresh air and exercise.

a reply to: Aleister

Yeah, and only lose your bike and watch, maybe even your fruit of a looms. Lol...

Civil asset forfeiture is a complete BS. It should be obvious that incentivizing law enforcement by allowing them to keep what they seize will do nothing but encourage corruption.



EDIT:

You want to know how bad things can get? Read this.

AUSTIN – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas today filed a brief with the Texas Attorney General's office opposing a request by Shelby County District Attorney Lynda K. Russell to use money she allegedly seized illegally from motorists to defend herself against a federal lawsuit accusing her of stripping drivers – almost all of them black – of their property without ever charging them with a crime. The brief also argues that either the county or state, both of which have refused to defend Russell, must be accountable for Russell's actions and cannot decline to represent her.

Russell is accused of participating in a scheme in which authorities pull over mostly African-American motorists driving along a state highway in Tenaha, TX without cause, ask if they are carrying cash and, if so, order them to sign over the cash to the town or face felony charges of money laundering or other serious crimes

In two years time, they took in $3 million from 140 individuals without charging any of them with a crime. Then there were instances where they would bust drug runners with kilos of coke and let the actual criminals off with probation in exchange for agreeing to forfeit tens of thousands of dollars. The worst stories are the ones where innocent people would be pulled over, asked if they had any money on them and then threatened with being charged with bogus crimes and having their children taken from them if they didn't comply with being robbed.

Lynda K Russell didn't run for reelection when her term was up in 2012 but she's never been brought to justice, she wasn't in disbarred and now she's in private practice.

a reply to: Daedal

We need to ALL write our representatives and plainly state that if they don't start doing something about this, they WILL be voted out for someone who will.

Hell, if I was running for office my entire platform would consist of police reform.

What a disgrace, Ive been to a police auction before, and you would not beleive what is up for sale, Childrens toys, bikes, all kinds of tools. I understand if it is seized during a drug raid, but if it is seized because someone didnt pay a fine or something ridiculous then thats when it is getting out of hand. Can we seize the police officers stuff, if they commit crimes against US. as if, the police union would allow that

originally posted by: IslandOfMisfitToys
a reply to: Daedal

We need to ALL write our representatives and plainly state that if they don't start doing something about this, they WILL be voted out for someone who will.

Hell, if I was running for office my entire platform would consist of police reform.

A strongly worded letter isn't worth the paper anymore.

How about staking out the highway with cams and mics along with a TV cam, using a citizen that fits the profile and catching the cop in the act?

Then while 30 or so people surround the cop asking questions with TV in his face as to why he is committing a crime, have the cop car (public property) put on a tow truck and seize it under suspicion of a crime.

Would he pull his gun while being on TV? Maybe.

But a letter won't cut it anymore. Actions are the only things left in the tool box.

Peace

a reply to: jude11

Star for that.

So true.

a reply to: jude11

I was thinking something similar before I read your post, I was calling it "Municipal Forfeiture" Maybe have a militia back up the citizens?

they had a thing around here where they would put a semi clear yellow paint on car headlights outside bars so every cop in the county would know who had been to a bar. Didn't take long for the word to get out and a cop charged with vandalism and every cops personal car had it on within a month

Civil forfiture is one of the things that piss me off really really badly.

Its basicaly "the man" decideing your living above your class and steping on your for being a upstart.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Asset forfeiture might make sense for drug kingpins perhaps but that's it.
Why they have the ability to seize and keep anyone's property is an abomination of due process.
Yet Zombie banks like Chase who have clearly committed fraud are not only let off the hook but bailed out by taxpayers.
The world is upside down.

Nope not even for drug kingpin!

You want to take someines property then PROVE in a court of law that property or money was gained illegaly and secure a GD conviction!

Courts and jurys are there for a reason.

originally posted by: Glassbender777
What a disgrace, Ive been to a police auction before, and you would not beleive what is up for sale, Childrens toys, bikes, all kinds of tools. I understand if it is seized during a drug raid, but if it is seized because someone didnt pay a fine or something ridiculous then thats when it is getting out of hand. Can we seize the police officers stuff, if they commit crimes against US. as if, the police union would allow that

Ok im leo and think you deal drugs, can i have your home and all your stuff then?

a reply to: Daedal

Asset seizure for the most part is unconstitutional. Police forces around the country are for profit companies and the police working for these corporations are mercenaries.



Good cops need to speak out. 24/7 cameras nationwide.......asset seizure and ticket revenue should not fund police forces.

a reply to: theantediluvian

So basically the police state which is corrupt in many places can outright steal without a crime being committed. This is madness and completely against what the founders of this country wanted. Heck it is one of the reasons they wanted to break away from colonial rule.




Asset seizure without due process in a court of law is unconstitutional. The system we currently have is illegal and just plain wrong. By the way great video I agree with many points this man makes except his anti-gun crap.

originally posted by: SubTruth
a reply to: Daedal

Asset seizure for the most part is unconstitutional. Police forces around the country are for profit companies and the police working for these corporations are mercenaries.



Good cops need to speak out. 24/7 cameras nationwide.......asset seizure and ticket revenue should not fund police forces.

Asset seizures should not happen full stop unless there has been a clear conviction in courts of something.

a reply to: crazyewok

You got it buddy I am 100% with ya. I honestly thought they needed to do that........Boy I was wrong. The current system and people abusing it are breaking the constitution.

originally posted by: SubTruth
a reply to: crazyewok

You got it buddy I am 100% with ya. I honestly thought they needed to do that........Boy I was wrong. The current system and people abusing it are breaking the constitution.

Ironicaly the US started this crime before we did in the UK. As such Its not got as bad yet as in the states as you do get a court proceding but the burden of proof is on you not the courts so you are at a disadvantage still.

But im pretty sure the US system will seep in more and more until the oinks are useing the public for free stuff.

I think the UK are treading lightly as we are in a economic recovery so want to keep the cash flowing illegal or not, hense why we included the black market in our economy forcasts this year lol give it a year or two and they will tighten up again. Plus there is alot of simmering civil unrest here, it wont take much to set a riot off here as 2011 showed the world.