Unlikely Political Allies Team Up Against Controversial Policing Practice

By Dan Weissmann, Miles Bryan
Money Seized
Cocaine and cash seized by the FBI during an investigation of a Mexican-based drug cartel is displayed during a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Building Monday, Dec. 13, 2004, in Chicago. Twenty-five men have been charged with running the Chicago cell of the cartel that allegedly shipped large quantities of cocaine to the city while transferring millions of dollars in profits to Mexico. Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press
Money Seized
Cocaine and cash seized by the FBI during an investigation of a Mexican-based drug cartel is displayed during a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Building Monday, Dec. 13, 2004, in Chicago. Twenty-five men have been charged with running the Chicago cell of the cartel that allegedly shipped large quantities of cocaine to the city while transferring millions of dollars in profits to Mexico. Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press

Unlikely Political Allies Team Up Against Controversial Policing Practice

By Dan Weissmann, Miles Bryan

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.”