The US Constitution’s 4th Amendment says, and means, exactly this: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.â€
Yet just a few months ago in rural Nevada, Humboldt County deputy Lee Dove stole over $63,800 from drivers who were never charged with any crime. He posed for a picture with the money, and his fellow police personnel approvingly called it “highway interdiction.” Actually, legally and morally, it’s highway robbery. Of course it happens here in Indiana too. It happens far too often everywhere in this nation; sometimes with the police giving each other high-fives and laughing at their helpless victims.
Anybody, including government, who peeks through your stuff (either with human or electronic eyes), or takes your stuff, or kicks in your door and drags you out of your home without having a darned good, documented and properly authorized reason, is a criminal. We should never think otherwise.
I would use every means available to me by legislation and constitutional activism to nullify rampant and unconstitutional civil forfeiture practices and laws.
If you are stopped by law enforcement officers and they ask whether they can look in your trunk, glove compartment, etc. tell them no. Then their only recourse is to arrest you. That takes it out of the civil process and makes it a criminal matter.
Law enforcement does not want that. They want the easy way out – yes, the civil rather than the criminal approach.
Just say no to law enforcement. You avoid the civil forfeiture.
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