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CBC Warns Canadians of "US Law Enforcement Money Extortion Program"
jfbilodeau writes The CBC is warning Canadians about a U.S. program where America law enforcement officers — from federal agents to state troopers right down to sheriffs in one-street backwaters — are operating a vast, co-ordinated scheme to grab as much of the public's cash as they can through seizure laws. "So, for any law-abiding Canadian thinking about an American road trip, here’s some non-official advice: Avoid long chats if you’re pulled over. Answer questions politely and concisely, then persistently ask if you are free to go. Don’t leave litter on the vehicle floor, especially energy drink cans. Don’t use air or breath fresheners; they could be interpreted as an attempt to mask the smell of drugs. Don’t be too talkative. Don’t be too quiet. Try not to wear expensive designer clothes. Don’t have tinted windows. And for heaven’s sake, don’t consent to a search if you are carrying a big roll of legitimate cash.
Or you forced departments to pay back double or triple plus court costs for improper seizures.They'd suddenly be much more careful.
First the militarization of small town police departments, SWAT teams for serving routine warrants, rising incidents of shocking brutality and now law enforcement has devolved to the point of being little better than a band of petty thieves. This is getting pathetic and scary. Foreign countries are issuing warnings about the conduct of U.S. law enforcement personnel. Am I the only person who has a problem with that?
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
The Supreme Court has ruled that civil forfeiture laws are, in fact, subject to the restrictions on excessive fines. Very specifically, and as I recall, on a case that involved seizure of money at the border.
Nobody knows about this, and a foreign tourist won't have any inclination to come back to the US - in a year or two, when it comes to trial - and spend more on legal fees than what was stolen.
The only way to stop this is to criminally prosecute corrupt cops. Which happens from time to time, but not nearly enough.
I have the pleasure of working with off duty police officers. We used to always get along well. Then one of them started telling stories about pulling people over. They were not flattering. I explained to them my policy of informing police officers, "I know you're just out here doing your job officer, but I don't consent to searches." I further explained that after stepping out of the vehicle (because that line always results in being asked to), that I repeatedly interject, "Am I being detained or am I free to go." Until finally they have to let me go. Despite explaining that I am as polite as can be about it, they chastised me for my approach. They were as upset as the cop that finally has to let me go. I still have to work with them, but they don't hide the fact that they now dislike me quite a bit. It probably didn't help that I combined it with a story about two cops that severely trampled on my civil rights a couple years ago and there was nothing I could do about it.
Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
It may help to remember how this current trend got it's legs.
Reagan is newly in office, and the country's mood is: we're tired of being ripped off and taken advantage of.
Pablo Escobar is bringing in tons of cocaine in broad daylight, and seemingly, no one can stop him. The Coast Guard has destroyer-sized ships and helicopters. The helicopters can catch Mr. Columbia's cigar boat, but are unarmed, and not allowed to shoot anyway. They can, and do, often wave at each other.
The Sheriff and even State police don't have boats to catch them, don't have helicopters available to just patrol, and if they do catch them; they have revolvers and shotguns against Uzis and AKs. In the face of all that, they catch a few anyway. But it turns out that it doesn't hurt the cartels at all to imprison their mules. Hell, it's their retirement plan, and keeps wages & seniority under control. Heh.
So the state auctions off the confiscated speedboat, and guess who's there to bid on it? Guess who cannot bid on it under any circumstances? The Sheriff himself. Not that I'd want him to, using my tax money that I'd rather go to schools or whatever. Pablo buys it back for a quarter of the new price. But sometimes he has to buy a new one. How much do you think that hurt his business? He can outspend the sheriff ten to one, and worse than that, it would be a stupid strategy to try and outspend the drug lord on guns and boats. The exact same strategy we were about to begin using on the Soviets, and it works.
In 1976, cocaine was a rich person's drug, or at least a big-city drug. in 1981, everybody and their 15 year old cousin in Mississippi could get it. Cocaine is suddenly everywhere, and it's profitable as shit; $100 1980 dollars a gram. (Of course that's not even pure cocaine; that's street cut).
What was pitched to us, and what we agreed to, was that yes; the Dade Sheriff could keep the cigar boat if he painted law enforcement colors on it, and used it to interdict the guys that used to own it. And while he's not allowed to sell the captured cocaine himself, he was allowed to keep the cocaine money, since it was bound for Columbia anyway, forever to disappear from our economy.
At that time, that was what was meant by the phrase, the "War on Drugs". They begged for the authority to take possession and shoot back with a quickness, just like real soldiers do in a real war. And hell, these were foreigners bringing AKs in, and didn't care who they shot. Of course, shoot them and take their stuff. What the hell are you thinking; waving? Sounds like Carter. We're done with that.
Things have come a long way since we had that mindset. I'll leave you with this thought: All government always grows, always; and sooner or later, it morphs into something you didn't expect.