via Wikimedia
Ever wonder what happens when police take a bunch of stuff from someone during a search and seizure? Well, they don’t always give it back. Sometimes they keep it for themselves and sell it. It’s called “civil asset forfeiture” and it’s legalized robbery.
People have been fighting against civil asset forfeiture for years, because it can make police behavior more corrupt. It’s like this: if you know that you can take something from someone while arresting them, it gives a corrupt cop an incentive to target them.
Arkansas just passed the "Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2019.” According to KARK.com, it prevents “such seizures, unless the person from whom property is being seized is convicted of a felony related to that property, and permits the forfeiture.”
If or when the bill is signed into law, Arkansas will join a handful of other states who have restricted this legalized form of theft. Police and federal law enforcement make BILLIONS of dollars, yes billions, by taking from people in this way.
It gets worse when you’re Black and you have something the police might want. Black people have been disproportionately targeted by civil asset forfeiture, so we’re happy Arkansas is restricting this messed up practice!