AL Sheriffs & DAs: No Incentive to Enforce the Law if We Can’t Keep the Funds - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AL Sheriffs & DAs: No Incentive to Enforce the Law if We Can’t Keep the Funds (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:03:31 PM EDT

https://www.nationalreview.com/blog/corner/al-sheriffs-das-no-incentive-to-enforce-the-law-if-we-cant-keep-the-funds/

Always think forfeiture.

In January, Republican state senators in Alabama introduced legislation to reform civil forfeiture. The bill makes the radical suggestion that property rights cannot be taken away without due process. (Under current practice, property can be seized without charge, let alone conviction, and the defendant needs to prove innocence at great cost to get it back.) It also aims to curb abuses by directing what does get seized to the state’s General Fund, rather than to the police departments themselves, thereby ending a practice that has been called ‘Policing for Profit’.

The Alabama Sheriffs Association and Alabama District Attorney’s Association are not pleased. Taking to AL.com, the directors of both organizations penned an op-ed in defense of civil forfeiture. They open with blatant dishonesty, claiming that the practice only targets criminals, when in at least a quarter of Alabama forfeiture cases, charges are never filed, let alone convictions made.

sending the proceeds of forfeiture to the state’s General Fund would result in fewer busts of drug and stolen property rings. What incentive would local police and sheriffs have to invest manpower, resources and time in these operations if they don’t receive proceeds to cover their costs?

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Posted: 2/21/2018 3:05:00 PM EDT

[#1]

"To serve and protect..."

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:07:17 PM EDT

[#2]

Sounds good.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:07:39 PM EDT

[#3]

How about., "get up, go to work, and do the job to the best of your ability" like other successful people in the work place.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:08:44 PM EDT

[#4]

Their incentive should be to protect and serve

Not make a buck, the fuck

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:09:32 PM EDT

[#5]

No incentive to enforce the law unless we get to take their shit.

Yeah. That was a well thought out response.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:10:39 PM EDT

[#6]

A paycheck has always been pretty good incentive for me. If they keep giving them to me I’ll continue to show up and do my job to the best of my ability.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:10:40 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
"To serve and protect..."

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Posted: 2/21/2018 3:11:53 PM EDT

[#8]

These types of laws have needed to be fixed for a long time. WTF ever happened to innocent until proven guilty????

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:11:56 PM EDT

[#9]

That guy should be looking for a new line of work as that is a real deal WTF.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:11:57 PM EDT

[#10]

People in general respect the police.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:12:15 PM EDT

[#11]

Civil Forfeiture is among the most UnAmerican concepts ever invented.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:13:57 PM EDT

[#12]

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:13:59 PM EDT

[#13]

No incentive unless we get to keep shit. How about get off your ass and earn your fucking salary. What a bunch of useless assholes.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:16:16 PM EDT

[#14]

I get their point

I mean to uphold an oath is bullshit without all that money coming in.

What would be the point...

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:18:32 PM EDT

[#15]

How about enforce the law, protect the public, and help to ensure the well-being of the community?

Are those not incentive enough?

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:21:30 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
How about enforce the law, protect the public, and help to ensure the well-being of the community?

Are those not incentive enough?

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Apparently not in Alabama.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:23:57 PM EDT

[#17]

Does this mean it is about the revenue?

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:26:21 PM EDT

[#18]

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Quoted:
Does this mean it is about the revenue?

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Yep. They just admitted it.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:27:17 PM EDT

[#19]

Lol. Thank you for your service!

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:27:50 PM EDT

[#20]

Ah yes....the old "money talks, bullshit walks" ploy.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:28:47 PM EDT

[#21]

Lol

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:28:51 PM EDT

[#22]

Well if you're catching criminals and getting convictions, you could still use assets from those criminal enterprises to offset high expenditures... but then you'd have to, y'know, do your jobs first, make arrests, obtain convictions, and do some kind of criminal asset forfeiture, and not just say "this looks like drug money" and take it.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:29:26 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Does this mean it is about the revenue?

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Posted: 2/21/2018 3:29:53 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
Does this mean it is about the revenue?

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I agree that civil forfeiture is wrong but I think the point the Sheriff made wasn’t clear. I think what he means is that there is a cost of “doing business” so to speak. Using certain resources or the ability to allocate resources costs money. Equipment costs money, prosecuting cases cost money. If you want them to so the same stuff, then don’t complain when your taxes go up to help cover the costs of what you want them to do. Or you may want your local police to wait on the station until you call them, that’s there’s that.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:30:38 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
Apparently not in Alabama.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
How about enforce the law, protect the public, and help to ensure the well-being of the community?

Are those not incentive enough?

Apparently not in Alabama.

the fuckers might as well just came out and said they are corrupt thieves. They cant really think the public trusts them after that fucked up comment

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:38:42 PM EDT

[#26]

Yeah, how about doing your job. I mean it is government job, you get paid regardless. It's not like a small business that needs to turn a profit or at least break even to stay in business.

On the other hand, my wife's department won't hardly press charges on a DWI. I think she said they get to keep $60 of any fine and the rest goes to the state. PLUS - the fucking DA won't take any case that he has to work at or could possibly loose. He wants video of actual drunk driving. She's pissed because last week, some drunk hit another car, and didn't stop. The police find him, stop him, pull him out of the car and he's drunk. DA won't take the DWI charge because they only have video after the accident, doesn't matter what his condition was when they found him.

They've figured out that they're better off charging DWI's with PI and holding them overnight and letting the municipal judge handle it.

Good thing we're tough on DWI.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:44:55 PM EDT

[#27]

Hopefully they will piss the Alabama Sheriff's Association off twice this year.

Pass this and Constitutional Carry.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:45:44 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
These types of laws have needed to be fixed for a long time. WTF ever happened to innocent until proven guilty????

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But, it's for the children.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:45:57 PM EDT

[#29]

Good. They are paid to serve the law and not to steal

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:46:55 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Does this mean it is about the revenue?

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Same thing with pistol permit money.

Goes into a no accountability slush fund for the individual sheriff.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:48:50 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
These types of laws have needed to be fixed for a long time. WTF ever happened to innocent until proven guilty????

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Don't you know it's all about the 'intent'???

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:54:16 PM EDT

[#32]

Criminals with a badge.

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:57:21 PM EDT

[#33]

Attached File

Posted: 2/21/2018 3:57:45 PM EDT

[#34]

Attached File

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:15:41 PM EDT

[#35]

Isn't....isn't that the point? What am I missing?

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:17:32 PM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
"To serve and protect..."

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thats so old

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:21:31 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:
I agree that civil forfeiture is wrong but I think the point the Sheriff made wasn’t clear. I think what he means is that there is a cost of “doing business” so to speak. Using certain resources or the ability to allocate resources costs money. Equipment costs money, prosecuting cases cost money. If you want them to so the same stuff, then don’t complain when your taxes go up to help cover the costs of what you want them to do. Or you may want your local police to wait on the station until you call them, that’s there’s that.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Does this mean it is about the revenue?

I agree that civil forfeiture is wrong but I think the point the Sheriff made wasn’t clear. I think what he means is that there is a cost of “doing business” so to speak. Using certain resources or the ability to allocate resources costs money. Equipment costs money, prosecuting cases cost money. If you want them to so the same stuff, then don’t complain when your taxes go up to help cover the costs of what you want them to do. Or you may want your local police to wait on the station until you call them, that’s there’s that.

For real? What is their existing budget being spent on? Or are the local (crooked) politicians anticipating a certain level of "extra" revenue and re-allocating money that should be in the police budget?

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:21:50 PM EDT

[#38]

I bet this is the attitude of majority of our police and DA.

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:22:28 PM EDT

[#39]

At least they're honest. Now the voters know who to fire.

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:24:51 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

Quoted:

I agree that civil forfeiture is wrong but I think the point the Sheriff made wasn’t clear. I think what he means is that there is a cost of “doing business” so to speak. Using certain resources or the ability to allocate resources costs money. Equipment costs money, prosecuting cases cost money. If you want them to so the same stuff, then don’t complain when your taxes go up to help cover the costs of what you want them to do. Or you may want your local police to wait on the station until you call them, that’s there’s that.

View Quote

Keeping a bloated department funded requires more than just the usual property taxes. Better to have a steady stream of unaccountable seized income that just goes into a general slush fund and can be spent however you want. If anyone questions it accuse them of being a doper.

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:25:09 PM EDT

[#41]

Well damn, never thought that I'd ever hear them admit it....it's all about the money.

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:26:26 PM EDT

[#42]

Quote History

Quoted:
At least they're honest. Now the voters know who to fire.

View Quote

Do you really think the same sheriffs who are re-elected every year who oppose Constitutional Carry because they think they permit fee money will dry up will all of the sudden be out of a job from this?

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:29:09 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
https://www.nationalreview.com/blog/corner/al-sheriffs-das-no-incentive-to-enforce-the-law-if-we-cant-keep-the-funds/

Always think forfeiture.

In January, Republican state senators in Alabama introduced legislation to reform civil forfeiture. The bill makes the radical suggestion that property rights cannot be taken away without due process. (Under current practice, property can be seized without charge, let alone conviction, and the defendant needs to prove innocence at great cost to get it back.) It also aims to curb abuses by directing what does get seized to the state’s General Fund, rather than to the police departments themselves, thereby ending a practice that has been called ‘Policing for Profit’.

The Alabama Sheriffs Association and Alabama District Attorney’s Association are not pleased. Taking to AL.com, the directors of both organizations penned an op-ed in defense of civil forfeiture. They open with blatant dishonesty, claiming that the practice only targets criminals, when in at least a quarter of Alabama forfeiture cases, charges are never filed, let alone convictions made.

sending the proceeds of forfeiture to the state’s General Fund would result in fewer busts of drug and stolen property rings. What incentive would local police and sheriffs have to invest manpower, resources and time in these operations if they don’t receive proceeds to cover their costs?

View Quote

I'm all for refusing to allow people who either are first time offenders or broke the law by mistake to have charges dropped if they surrender the profits of their crimes. That's generally the reason for charges either not being filed or dropped.... giving people a second chance while removing the financial benefit of committing the crime. But hey, it's perfectly normal for criminals to want to benefit from their crimes.

EDIT: I've never seen a case where there was no due process (court hearing).

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:39:16 PM EDT

[#44]

Quote History

Quoted:
Civil Forfeiture is among the most UnAmerican concepts ever invented.

View Quote

Hey that's like saying the Mafia is un American....

Posted: 2/21/2018 4:40:45 PM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:

I'm all for refusing to allow people who either are first time offenders or broke the law by mistake to have charges dropped if they surrender the profits of their crimes. That's generally the reason for charges either not being filed or dropped.... giving people a second chance while removing the financial benefit of committing the crime. But hey, it's perfectly normal for criminals to want to benefit from their crimes.

EDIT: I've never seen a case where there was no due process (court hearing).

View Quote

that is fine provided the offense is minor enough to have no real victim, and the perp isn't a dangerous nut case. However retaining those funds w/in the department budget or using them to fund the station Christmas party; stinks like week old fish.