But using your money, and not Monopoly money.
The Georgia Sheriff’s Association is whinging about a bill in their state house that, supposedly, would cut back on how much money and property their members can confiscate and turn into revenue.
The bill does not fix any of the main problems with asset forfeiture in Georgia: the government can take property without convicting anyone of a crime, law enforcement can keep what it seizes, and reporting requirements are vague and frequently ignored.
The bill does increase the government’s burden of proof (from preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing). But that only helps property owners once their case reaches court—most don’t. Often the forfeited property is worth less than the cost of a lawyer.
One Sheriff is even saying that simply giving a Commissioner the power to decide how the money is used will “demoralize” his deputies to the point where they may stop enforcing the law at all.
It is like they’re issued Certified Asshole certificates when they those damn sunglasses.
Found via Reason
Good to see that some places are at least attempting to rein in some of the corruption that is afflicting police culture of late. Much more needs to be done.
How ANYONE can think that asset forfeiture can be constitutional and not abused is just beyond me.