Pubdate: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 Date: 07/01/1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Author: Jeff Gomes-Tustin Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters has a lot of gall to boast about enriching his department to the tune of $2 million per year through asset forfeiture ["Police: Weaker forfeiture law would hit them where it hurts, "News, June 25]. Even if one agrees with Prohibition as the answer to the drug problem, which I do not, a laudable goal does not justify the use of evil methods. Taking of property before (or often in the complete absence of!) a conviction is clearly wrong and has always been wrong since the beginning of civilization. Anyone with a conscience knows it is wrong. Jeff Gomes Tustin