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In the US in certain states, Cops can use civil asset forfeiture to just take whatever they want and a portion of what is seized goes to the police department.

In the US in certain states, Cops can use civil asset forfeiture to just take whatever they want and a portion of what is seized goes to the police department. So they are incentivized to just take. Pretty hard to defend yourself after the government has taken all of your money and the lawyers want to get paid. Civil asset forfeiture does not even require proof of a crime, only accusation that there may have been a crime. Travelling with a bunch of cash? Well that's probably for drugs and its our cash now. https://www.techdirt.com/2021/12/22/dea-gives-former-marine-back-86900-cops-took-him-during-nevada-traffic-stop-caught-body-cam/ https://www.techdirt.com/2021/12/22/dea-gives-former-marine-... Civil asset forfeiture is an abomination and a flagrant violation of the 4th amendment. It rewards cops and federal agencies for violating the rights of citizens that are generally ill equipped to fight back, even more so after their money is stolen.

deleted 4y ago
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dragonwriter 4y ago
> In the US in certain states, Cops can use civil asset forfeiture to just take whatever they want and a portion of what is seized goes to the police department. In some states, the share can be up to 100%. But even where states don’t allow that with state law forfeitures, directing the funds instead to state general funds or dedicated state funds not connected to the seizing agency, federal law allows state/local agencies to do federal-law forfeitures and keep a share.
kennend3 4y ago
This has become such a problem the Canadian government has been warning its citizens traveling to the US to avoid carrying cash. This is from 2014 when the problem seems to have really taken off. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-t-charge-you-but-they-ll-grab-your-money-1.2760736 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-...

deleted 4y ago

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dragonwriter 4y ago

> In the US in certain states, Cops can use civil asset forfeiture to just take whatever they want and a portion of what is seized goes to the police department. In some states, the share can be up to 100%. But even where states don’t allow that with state law forfeitures, directing the funds instead to state general funds or dedicated state funds not connected to the seizing agency, federal law allows state/local agencies to do federal-law forfeitures and keep a share.

kennend3 4y ago

This has become such a problem the Canadian government has been warning its citizens traveling to the US to avoid carrying cash. This is from 2014 when the problem seems to have really taken off. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-t-charge-you-but-they-ll-grab-your-money-1.2760736 https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/american-shakedown-police-won-...