State audit charts course to retool how WA police seize assets
When police believe property like a car, boat, or even just cash is tied to a crime, they can seize it and in many instances keep the proceeds.
The practice is known as civil asset forfeiture. A new audit finds that law enforcement agencies here in Washington are complying with the state’s seizure law but could do more to help people trying to reclaim property they’ve lost and to be more transparent about how the system works.
In a 110-page report released Thursday, the State Auditor’s Office delves into a program long used by police in combating drug-related crimes that has drawn fire from critics concerned that property of some racial and ethnic groups is disproportionately targeted.
“This independent analysis offers a clearer picture of a little-understood aspect of our criminal justice system,” State Auditor Pat McCarthy said in a statement. “Our audit shows that greater transparency regarding civil asset forfeiture can help Washington continue to discourage wrongdoing by seizing the material elements of crime while also protecting every person’s right to due process.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/04/11/state-audit-charts-course-to-retool-how-wa-police-seize-assets/