The ACLU and the conservative Illinois Policy Institute agree that it should be harder for cops to take property — permanently — from people who haven’t been convicted of a crime. Law enforcement agencies keep that money. A joint report from the two groups says that practice should end.

Terry Lemming disagrees. He’s president of the Illinois Drug Enforcement Officers Association, and he thinks the current system encourages the use of a good crime-fighting tool. “I honestly believe it’s human nature,” he said. “There’s more of an incentive if you can buy a squad car with it, (than) if you can’t.”