New Device To Seize Money Used During The Commission Of A Crime

[lockedout]

OKLAHOMA CITY - You may have heard of civil asset forfeiture.

That's where police can seize your property and cash without first proving you committed a crime; without a warrant and without arresting you, as long as they suspect that your property is somehow tied to a crime.

Now, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol has a device that also allows them to seize money in your bank account or on prepaid cards.

It's called an ERAD, or Electronic Recovery and Access to Data machine, and state police began using 16 of them last month.

Here's how it works. If a trooper suspects you may have money tied to some type of crime, the highway patrol can scan any cards you have and seize the money.

"We're gonna look for different factors in the way that you're acting,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. John Vincent said. “We're gonna look for if there's a difference in your story. If there's someway that we can prove that you're falsifying information to us about your business."

Troopers insist this isn't just about seizing cash.

"I know that a lot of people are just going to focus on the seizing money. That's a very small thing that' s happening now. The largest part that we have found ... the biggest benefit has been the identity theft," Vincent said.

"If you can prove can prove that you have a legitimate reason to have that money it will be given back to you. And we've done that in the past," Vincent said about any money seized.

State Sen. Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, said that removes due process and the belief that a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He said we've already seen cases in Oklahoma where police are abusing the system.

"We've seen single mom's stuff be taken, a cancer survivor his drugs taken, we saw a Christian band being taken. We've seen innocent people's stuff being taken. We've seen where the money goes and how it's been misspent," Loveless said.

Loveless plans to introduce legislation next session that would require a conviction before any assets could be seized.

"If I had to err on the side of one side versus the other, I would err on the side of the Constitution,” Loveless said. “And I think that's what we need to do."

News 9 obtained a copy of the contract with the state.

It shows the state is paying ERAD Group Inc., $5,000 for the software and scanners, then 7.7 percent of all the cash the highway patrol seizes.

http://www.news9.com/story/32168555/...ion-of-a-crime



Hope this stays in Oklahoma..

[Bigbamboozal]

They are fucking liars. and crooks. we all know it.
The proof is that they no longer have to prove anything, that they can do it without a judge.
Fuck the idea that a cop on feel can decide your money is criminal.
It's a scam, by the people who are supposed to protect you.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. John Vincent says it ain't all that...but already we've seen evidence contrary to his words.
Middle aged man goes to buy car, gets stopped, gets money taken...must be for drugs right?
Fucking THIEVES in uniform.

[lockedout]

ERAD group who provides the software and the scanners gets 7.7% of all money taken, seems legit..

[Gegan]

This is one of the more ridiculous things I've seen today, at least.

[Daedius]

Disgusting...

[cubby]

ERAD group who provides the software and the scanners gets 7.7% of all money taken, seems legit..

Lol, couldn't agree more. What a total scam. The federal law is bad enough, but this is just some trooper walking around with a device that takes your money without any due process and then pays the company that provides the device a commission.

Lovely.

Wait . . . Lockedout . . . we're agreeing on something. Shit. One of us has to change our position on this pdq.

[Masark]

You dare question the actions of our brave defenders in blue!?!?!

COP HATERS!

FERGUSON EFFECT!!!

[Stacyrect]

yeah this won't be abused in any way shape or form. people gonna start keeping their debit cards in their ass in fear of the police

[dextersmith]

That's where police can seize your property and cash without first proving you committed a crime; without a warrant and without arresting you, as long as they suspect that your property is somehow tied to a crime.

The constitution can't even protect you since you're not being tied to a crime, the property is. Give crooked jerks more power.... You can be a cop with a grade 12 education, why are they allowed to be judge, jury, and executioner?

[lockedout]

yeah this won't be abused in any way shape or form. people gonna start keeping their debit cards in their ass in fear of the police

Wait until criminals get a hold of one of these devices.

[dbudd424]

I wonder if your mortgage company will accept that you can't make your payment this month because the police stole your money.

[lockedout]

I wonder if your mortgage company will accept that you can't make your payment this month because the police stole your money.

Ehem, it isn't stealing..

[cubby]

Wait until criminals get a hold of one of these devices.

Holy shit that would be awesome! I mean, not really of course. Must maintain law and order and all that.

[Nihilist74]

I especially wouldn't trust Oklahoma law enforcement or any of the southern law enforcement agencies with this. I don't think they should be able to seize anything until you are proven guilty.

[Mayhem]

Troopers insist this isn't just about seizing cash.

Hey, at least they aren´t lying.

[dextersmith]

Lol, couldn't agree more. What a total scam. The federal law is bad enough, but this is just some trooper walking around with a device that takes your money without any due process and then pays the company that provides the device a commission.

ERAD and the police should have their assets confiscated for this arrangement.

[Mayhem]

I wonder if your mortgage company will accept that you can't make your payment this month because the police stole your money.

Of course, they will be very understanding that you have to wait for months to get your money back if at all.

[Stacyrect]

Wait until criminals get a hold of one of these devices.

With the introduction RFID chips to your credit/debit cards, criminals already have better devices. RFID has been around a long time and it's weakness's has been thoroughly exploited long before europe even had them in their cards.

[Aeula]

If that tech ever makes it to the UK I'm withdrawing all my money from my bank account and building an underground bunker to store my cash in.

If the police have it, how long until criminals get their hands on it? Hell they probably have it already. The main issue is this will only make it more common.

[Mayhem]

This will make robbing rich people easier and more profitable than robbing a bank. Yeah, i can´t see how this could go wrong.