Civil Asset Forfeiture and the Police

[eDJ_]

Has anyone else heard of it ? I was just watching this report on a news channel (Newsy) and found it posted in Youtube. It is worth watching the 4 1/2 minute report to be informed on this situation. Please if you can, view this report: Explain what you think of it, how you would or could deal with it if it happened to you.

Youtube & Newsy: Civil Asset Forfeiture by the Police

 

[Ripper238]

Yup, they can seize your cash if they suspect it may be tied to something illegal. I carry very little to any cash due to this.

Seems to be more of a problem I have seen out west.

 

[MotorVation]

I'm aware of it and also know someone this happened to. Good post. More people need to be informed. The dude I know worked for pay plus tips. He couldn't prove the tips end of it and they kept his 1k in St Petersburg Florida.

The average amount they steal is between 1200. and 1300 bucks

 

[mattvei]

It is very real and a major source of funding for police departments across the country. Your assets, cash, anything seized is guilty until proven innocent and virtually impossible to retrieve even with court action. That is kiss it goodbye

 

[WanderingRose]

It is real, and news articles about unreasonable seizures that individuals have trouble getting back are becoming more common.

Don’t carry large amounts of cash, seems the wise thing.

 

[John in Montreal]

North America is crooked. If it wasn't for my kid I would move back to Europe.

 

[DannyB1954]

I was aware of it. People carrying large cash to buy a vehicle somewhere else etc.
I would hide any money and refuse questioning without an attorney if they asked.
Police don't make small talk with you to try to prove that you are innocent of anything.
See if my bank had a branch in the seller's town is the first choice. Meet them there.
criminals do post adds for items at a good price, then can rip you off when you arrive.

 

[thegoodtom1]

First, reserve your right to remain silent and ACTUALLY do so. NEVER agree to a search. And if you carry cash, get a safe permanently mounted in an inconspicuous place. They're inexpensive insurance.

 

[metaglypto]

I was aware of it. People carrying large cash to buy a vehicle somewhere else etc.
I would hide any money and refuse questioning without an attorney if they asked.
Police don't make small talk with you to try to prove that you are innocent of anything.
See if my bank had a branch in the seller's town is the first choice. Meet them there.
criminals do post adds for items at a good price, then can rip you off when you arrive.

Truth! The police are no different than anyone else. Plenty of bad apples just looking for their next promotion or they just like being rectal orifices. Don't trust cops any more than you would trust any other total stranger. They are partly on a fishing trip every time they show up for work.

 

[frater secessus]

By ~2018 the police were stealing more from citizens, dollar-wise, than residential burglars.

 

[Frood]

This thread gives me some deeper understanding of some of the content Paul Barger (Berger?) has posted... He has a couple videos on YouTube where he is pulled over. In the one I'm thinking of the officer is very complimentary of his converted van and that he lives in it and repeatedly asks if she can "take a look inside"

 

[SLB_SA]

It isn't just money that the police (Federal, state & local) can "steal" from you. It is your vehicle, your goods (gold, silver), your items, etc. Attorney Steve Lehto has many videos of examples of civil asset forfeiture.

 

[rvwandering]

Please be careful with this discussion. Avoid demonizing the entire group of law enforcement officers. I don't want to have to close the thread because this is an issue that we all should be aware of.

 

[gsfish]

Real. I believe I even saw it on 60 Minutes a few years ago. A guy with cash to buy a load of Christmas Trees.

Some states allow them to drain your debit cards too. Right there in the right of way.

Search for previous threads on this subject. Here are two.

https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/here-we-go-again-with-asset-forfeiture-laws.25287/
https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/asset-forfeiture.22128/
Guy

 

[Lasivian]

This fucking terrifies me. And it strengthens my position that I never talk to the police.

 

[NoOvernightParking]

this thread is a real downer for any of us Route 66 road-trip dreamers.

 

[Ripper238]

Just don't give it all away and don't talk to cops when they start to ask OT questions. Stick to the reason they puled you over.

 

[rvwandering]

To ease everyone's mind a bit - I've been living on the road for more than twenty years, traveling on all types of roads, through all lower 48 states and Alaska, boondocking on public lands, sleeping in parking lots, staying in campgrounds, and have had maybe three encounters with the police. All were handled professionally. There were no attempts to intimidate. So bad things may happen but the chances of them happening to you are slim. Go out and have a good time!

 

[PeterPiper]

You would think that the Supreme Court would have stopped this UnConstitutional practice at the beginning.
Instead, the Supreme Court has been validating the invalidation of the Constitution for some time now.

 

[Freelander]

The Supreme Court has already ruled on this and basically said if you get your stuff taken by the cops you can always sue to get it back.