LTE: Dallas Morning News: Legal theft by the police

Legal theft by the police

Re: “Assets being taken unjustly — Forfeiture laws give states free hand to seize property of individuals simply on suspicion, say Laura and John Arnold,” Tuesday Viewpoints.

As a retired Michigan police detective, I am keenly aware of my profession’s desire to “police for profit.” As a property room officer, I handled the cash coming in and the sale of mostly $2,000 cars my colleagues seized. Our local prosecutor received 10 percent of all money seized in the county, ensuring political support. How does this work?

Every six months I would take almost a thousand dollars in cash to buy hay for our horses. Had I been stopped, the officer could seize the money and the truck, claiming I was en route to buy drugs. A year later I could go to the court to show ownership of four horses and the need to buy hay every six months. Maybe, I would get the money back — maybe not. How could I prove I was not buying drugs?

This legal theft by my profession is disgusting.

Howard J Wooldridge, Dallas co-founder, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition