LANSING (WKZO-AM) — Police agencies, and particularly anti-drug units, will have a much higher standard to reach and much more accountability now that the Senate has approved a package of House bills to reign in the use of civil forfeiture when investigating crimes.
Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign the package.
Oshtemo Republican Brandt Iden, who sponsored one of the bills, says, if approved, police won’t be allowed to seize property just because a person is suspected of a crime.
“We’ve made it a little bit tougher to go out and say, ‘Look, we can’t just automatically seize your car without some clear and convincing evidence that you’ve actually committed the crime,’” Iden said. “So, we’re protecting people’s assets.”
Kalamazoo Democrat Jon Hoadley says it partially restores a pretty basic principal of the law.
“Any effort that we have to really make sure that we restore the principle that you’re innocent until proven guilty is really a step in the right direction,” Hoadley said.
Some would like to see forfeitures banned until there is a conviction.
There would also be reports requiring officers, for the first time, to fill out and monitor what’s being seized.
The House could sign off on the Senate’s minor changes and the legislation could be headed to the Governor’s desk by the weekend.
– John McNeill
