I chose to write an article I found
on The Huffington Post which was titled “Should Police Be Allowed to KeepProperty Without A Criminal Conviction?” In summary, two friends had set off
for a weekend road trip to Cincinnati with intention to gamble. On the way,
they were stopped by a police officer and their vehicle was searched for no
reason at all. The officer found $16,500 in cash, which was money the two men
had saved up only to gamble. The officer took they money, and they were taken
down to the station without even being charged for a crime. Years later, after thousands of dollars spent
on attorney fees, the men finally got their money back. Statistics say that in
2015 net proceeds from civil forfeitures across 14 states more than doubled
between 2002 and 2013, jumping from around $100 million to $250 million. This
is something we should all be aware of. Officers are jumping to conclusion that
maybe the money was being used for drugs or other related crimes. However,
search and seizure and having probable cause in order to seize property is a
right all Americans deserve.
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