Have you heard about civil asset forfeiture? It’s an underhanded way the government can take citizens’ money without even charging them with a crime. And it’s even worse than federal agencies seizing small business owners’ bank accounts… police officers can also take cash away from unlucky travelers under this allowance or evict the parents of a child involved in drugs.
Watch the video below to learn more about the extent of this “legalized robbery by law enforcement.”
Here are some of our favorite highlights:
“Public trust in the police is one of the most vital elements in a civilized society, but for many Americans, that trust has been undermined by a procedure called civil forfeiture.”
Many of these cases are actually brought against the property seized, not the owner of the property – which have fewer protections under the law. “Under civil forfeiture laws, your property is guilty until you prove it innocent.”
Most police departments get to keep a portion or all of the money they seize, and many can spend it however they like. In a public hearing, one officer called their forfeiture money “pennies from heaven” that their department uses to buy “toys.”
This article even warns Canadians traveling to the U.S. to be cautious if stopped by an officer. The writer compares it to police extortion in Mexico. Is this what we want our country’s reputation to be?