http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002276240_drugroutes16.html
It seems to me that forfeiture of property directly to the executive branch breeds corruption, encourages violation of the 4th amendment, and distracts police from combatting real crime.
I know the law-and-order LE folk will ask how I expect them to fight violent crime without sufficient funding, and they'll point out that the vast majority of the time either the person being stopped isn't substantially inconvenienced, or is a scumbag who deserves some quality time in the 9th circle of Hell, presumably because said suspect would have sold crack at the local kindergarden if it weren't for the valiant efforts of Officer Friendly and his drug-sniffing dog.
I think the whole framework of traffic stops being used for anything other than safety-related traffic violations has been twisted beyond recognition. It's almost as if police, knowing they can't routinely kick down doors because reasonable suspicion is harder to articulate for residences, resort to pulling over everyone they can, anyone who's vehicle or driving habits are the slightest bit abnormal, knowing that if they find something, they can nearly always fabricate reasonable suspicion after the fact.
The legislature is of course complicit in this by passing laws against things like concealed carry or drug possession, when the only ways of detecting violations are by luck or 4th amendment violations.
I just don't like it, and I'm not impressed with the counter-arguments I gave above. Restrict cops' funding and they'll find a way to manage, or the incorporated area will do without, or it'll disintegrate. Any sufficiently populated area will have enough money for basic police services, and where they can't provide in preemptive stops and patrols, citizens should and typically do take up the slack by being vigilant.
The monkey wrench in community self-policing is state laws against weapons carry. We only really need police because we've been rendered defenseless, forbade from carrying weapons or forbade from doing anything about crimes we witness.
It seems to me that forfeiture of property directly to the executive branch breeds corruption, encourages violation of the 4th amendment, and distracts police from combatting real crime.
I know the law-and-order LE folk will ask how I expect them to fight violent crime without sufficient funding, and they'll point out that the vast majority of the time either the person being stopped isn't substantially inconvenienced, or is a scumbag who deserves some quality time in the 9th circle of Hell, presumably because said suspect would have sold crack at the local kindergarden if it weren't for the valiant efforts of Officer Friendly and his drug-sniffing dog.
I think the whole framework of traffic stops being used for anything other than safety-related traffic violations has been twisted beyond recognition. It's almost as if police, knowing they can't routinely kick down doors because reasonable suspicion is harder to articulate for residences, resort to pulling over everyone they can, anyone who's vehicle or driving habits are the slightest bit abnormal, knowing that if they find something, they can nearly always fabricate reasonable suspicion after the fact.
The legislature is of course complicit in this by passing laws against things like concealed carry or drug possession, when the only ways of detecting violations are by luck or 4th amendment violations.
I just don't like it, and I'm not impressed with the counter-arguments I gave above. Restrict cops' funding and they'll find a way to manage, or the incorporated area will do without, or it'll disintegrate. Any sufficiently populated area will have enough money for basic police services, and where they can't provide in preemptive stops and patrols, citizens should and typically do take up the slack by being vigilant.
The monkey wrench in community self-policing is state laws against weapons carry. We only really need police because we've been rendered defenseless, forbade from carrying weapons or forbade from doing anything about crimes we witness.
