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