(Before you start this article, please be advised: �While this is a negative article, I do not think that the "police" in general are bad or wrong... I DO believe that THIS -- the actions described here, ARE wrong. �Evil? �Well, I wouldn't put it THAT far. �Un-Constitutional? �Hell yeah! �And I believe that the police that DO these things are criminals, EVEN IF it's "legal" and "sanctioned". �My friends who ARE police know who and what I'm talking about. �To my friend's husband who turned in $40,000 in CASH that he found in the park one night -- despite others who say you were stupid to do it, *I* salute you. �If you're THAT honest, I KNOW you wouldn't do what described here.)

How can this happen? �Well, those folks that "make" the laws, the same ones that are supposed to represent you and me, asked for, promoted, and passed these laws. �I would imagine that the vast majority of people don't know that the laws exist. �Of those that DO know, the VAST majority of people are those that are directly involved... either because they stand to gain from these "legally" obtained, or because they wound up being caught in these bad laws. �Of those who wound up being caught, I would imagine the by FAR, the VASTEST majority have never done anything wrong or worthy of this travesty in the name of justice. �These laws are here to "protect" us. �When folks who DON'T belong to the groups above first hear about the laws, I'm sure that they think the laws are beneficial. �Well thought out. �Carefully enforced. �Not abused. �Effective (against those they were meant to be used against -- drug kings).

How would YOU like to be on the receiving end of stolen money? �Illegal?��No, it's all legal -- the money is stolen from 'you', by some police. �Doesn't it seem odd? �

�In some locales, the police are PAID -- DIRECTLY, off the top. �Not like the cases in the show, where they had to pretend that the money they spent came from the department -- even tho' they bought things for themselves, took vacations on the money, and basically wound up playing with the money. �Stolen money. �Although the money wasn't paid off the top, it still went to the perpe-traitors.��In one case, of the couple of MILLION confiscated along a stretch of highway,�over $60,000 was given to just one officer. � Over $200,000 turned up missing -- or in this case, DIDn't turn up... AFTER having been turned in as "evidence".

Isn't it just the "bad" guys who have this happen to them? �Nope. �Teenagers, older adults, men, women, migrant workers, businessmen, retirees, church-choir members... and that's just on ONE program about ONE state... people who were found by Dateline. �How many others HAVEN'T been able to talk -- for fear of retribution? �Of those interviewed, NONE had charges brought against them. �What were the majority "arrested" for? �What LED to their being stopped and having the products of their work and their lives stolen from them? �"Improper use of lane." �WHEW! �THAT spells drug-king.

How about if you WERE a drug-king. �Not a casual user. �Not a pusher. �A drug-king. �You get pulled, and the prosecutor's office if willing to let you go IF you release claim to the $156,000 found in your Mercedes, AND the Mercedes. �COOL! �It happened and was documented on the show.��The Police got to keep 60% of the "take", the Prosecutor's office got 20%, and the final 20% went to a "judicial expense fund" for the judges. �Conflict of interest? �Un-Constitutional? �

The police departments, the prosecutor's offices, and the judges don't seem to think so. �

What do you think?

Legalized rape? �Yes. � Legalized extortion? �Yes. �Will it continue? �Yes.

Most people don't have the resources required to get their own belongings back, after having forfeited much (and sometimes ALL) of their belongings. �What if you "lost" $12,000 dollars to "forfeiture". �For "improper use of lane". �How much would you willing and prepared to pay to get that back? �How much time could you dedicate to getting what is rightfully YOURS back? �What if it happened in another state? �Could you afford the time off from work for a long and protracted court battle? �Hey, the state has your money, they can AFFORD to be generous with THEIR lawyers.��Can you afford and would you be willing to pay a large amount to a lawyer to represent you? �We're talking about just getting your money back... chances are the police departments are ABOVE being sued for costs and damages. �"It's the LAW". �And even then, there's a chance that your case'll never get to court. �It could be stone-walled, held up for months or YEARS buried in court, never even seeing the light of day. �Now, how about if you are a migrant worker, and the $12,000 what your life's savings? �Documented in the feature.��Luckily for the men that it happened to, the employer stood up for them and helped them get some (SOME - about two-thirds) of their money back.

"This can't happen." �It does. �It did. �As part of the story, the news crew was pulled over several times. �The police deny it. �The chiefs of police deny it, saying, "well, if you were pulled for speeding, I'd have to say you were doing it". �Even though the whole thing was documented. �Five (count 'em, 5) hidden cameras took every thing in. �The police deny it. �This is a "powerful tool in the anti-drug war." �But it's being used against the innocent. �POSSIBLY you, or me. �Remember, you don't have to be FOUND with drugs. �You don't even have to be pulled for a drug-related offense. �But also remember, if you're willing to forfeit what's in the car, you can be let go even if there is evidence against you. �A "powerful tool in the anti-drug war", indeed.

At that point, you talk him into forgetting what you said. �Hey, you've got to get to your job on Monday, and hey, your wife is already upset. �And, ... OK, I'll just forget it, but you better watch it, most cops wouldn't be as nice as ME!

Can't happen? �It's been on TWO TV shows. �So, who are you going to believe?

You've been warned.