My WTF Files...

[Rockhopper]

This takes pride of place in it!

The seminars offered police officers some useful tips on seizing property from suspected criminals. Don’t bother with jewelry (too hard to dispose of) and computers (“everybody’s got one already”), the experts counseled. Do go after flat screen TVs, cash and cars. Especially nice cars.

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.

“A guy drives up in a 2008 Mercedes, brand new,” he explained. “Just so beautiful, I mean, the cops were undercover and they were just like ‘Ahhhh.’ And he gets out and he’s just reeking of alcohol. And it’s like, ‘Oh, my goodness, we can hardly wait.’ ”

Mr. Connelly was talking about a practice known as civil asset forfeiture, which allows the government, without ever securing a conviction or even filing a criminal charge, to seize property suspected of having ties to crime. The practice, expanded during the war on drugs in the 1980s, has become a staple of law enforcement agencies because it helps finance their work. It is difficult to tell how much has been seized by state and local law enforcement, but under a Justice Department program, the value of assets seized has ballooned to $4.3 billion in the 2012 fiscal year from $407 million in 2001. Much of that money is shared with local police forces.

Source.

Un-resonable search and seizure?

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

Yes Rock, our Police departments have now become deeply afflicted by "Sheriff of Nottingham" Syndrome thanks to Nancy Reagan's ideas of the so called "War on Drugs". The police also instantly disperse the cash right away instead of holding it as evidence as they should till a judge declares guilty or innocent, so that an innocent verdict means they have to give it all back. They auction of the cars and other "little goodies" as well. It is the height of instability knowing that Police Departments are legalized thieves, and from many cases, murderers.

[Mordae]

Keeps the slush fund going for the next APC I guess

Thing is, all they need for the seizures is "reasonable intent", which means that if you own a business (or have to drive through) in a known "drug-users" neighbourhood, and are taking your cash to the bank, they can (and will) seize it. The cost in time and court fees to reclaim your goods/cash means that most people won't bother.

[Lenzabi]

Keeps the slush fund going for the next APC I guess

Thing is, all they need for the seizures is "reasonable intent", which means that if you own a business (or have to drive through) in a known "drug-users" neighbourhood, and are taking your cash to the bank, they can (and will) seize it.  The cost in time and court fees to reclaim your goods/cash means that most people won't bother.

Exactly, by the time you and the lawyer are done his fees alone will eat at least 50-75% of what they stole.

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