Globe-News Takes A Look At Seizure Funds

The Amarillo Globe-News is taking a look at what exactly happens to funds seized along the I-40 corridor as part of a two-part series.

Take a peek:

Perhaps no issue proves more quietly contentious in the local law enforcement community than how the seized currency – about $14.6 million in 51/2 years – is divided among agencies hungry for revenue in a struggling economy.

In the end, only about 6.4 percent – or roughly $935,000 – of those seizures have remained in the area to benefit regional law enforcement agencies and taxpayers, according to hundreds of pages of documents released by the DPS in response to a public information request by the Amarillo Globe-News.

Records indicate DPS officials often choose to bypass Panhandle state courts in exchange for Amarillo’s federal court when the largest amounts of money are at stake. It’s a decision that has left some I-40 district attorneys frustrated and raised concerns the federal court route gives DPS an easier and larger payday at the expense of local counties and taxpayers.

Most people have no idea that the vast majority of seizure funds like this do not stay with the local government entities responsible for the seizure. Of course, there are multiple factors involved, including whether or not the federal government gets involved in the seizure process for a particular case.

While I don’t look for any federal seizure reform coming down the pike any time soon, there have been some limited rumblings that the Texas Legislature could take some action on the matter this session because of the ongoing controversy in Teneha..