Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 2015
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2015 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Howard J Wooldridge
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n396/a03.html

LEGAL THEFT BY THE POLICE

Re: "Assets being taken unjustly - Forfeiture laws give states free 
hand to seize property of individuals simply on suspicion, say Laura 
and John Arnold,"  Tuesday Viewpoints.

As a retired Michigan police detective, I am keenly aware of my 
profession's desire to "police for profit."  As a property room 
officer, I handled the cash coming in and the sale of mostly $2,000 
cars my colleagues seized. Our local prosecutor received 10 percent 
of all money seized in the county, ensuring political support. How 
does this work?

Every six months I would take almost a thousand dollars in cash to 
buy hay for our horses. Had I been stopped, the officer could seize 
the money and the truck, claiming I was en route to buy drugs. A year 
later I could go to the court to show ownership of four horses and 
the need to buy hay every six months. Maybe, I would get the money 
back - maybe not. How could I prove I was not buying drugs?

This legal theft by my profession is disgusting.

Howard J Wooldridge, Dallas co-founder, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom