Last year, a Wisconsin man was stopped by police for minor traffic violations and his interaction with the police eventually escalated to the point where he had his entire life savings taken from him.
Not only that, but he also admitted that he travelled with a generous amount of cash because he might come across buying opportunities for instruments.
The police ended up taking over $90,000 from him. The story was eventually picked up by the media and afterward it’s reported that a judge eventually ruled in his favor, with the state having to give his money back to him.
One of the most controversial aspects of the incident was the fact that the victim had been asked to sign a waiver on the side of the road, while he was under duress (just had his life savings taken from him).
This isn't the only time that the police have done this, there have been countless others who just like Parhamovich were asked to sign waivers on the side of the road. And it’s also been alleged that officers have threatened people that they would charge them with false allegations if they didn’t sign a waiver; giving up the rights to their property that had been taken away from them.
These highway stop waivers are a repulsive tactic, linked with civil asset forfeiture. And the police have been doing this all around the country.
However, the use of highway stop waivers has been banned in both Virginia and Texas, and now Wyoming is going to follow.
A new bill was introduced and quickly passed with bipartisan support, and this month it was signed into law. However, it won’t take effect until July. The new bill seeks to prevent law enforcement from trying to pressure people on the side of the road, to sign a waiver that gives up the rights to their property in the manner that they have been. In other words, trying to persuade them not to violate due process.
Despite the passage of the new bill however, lawmakers in that state still haven’t made any efforts to generously scale back their civil asset forfeiture practice. And this trend has fostered widespread abuse against the people. The new changes might be seen as a step in the right direction by some, but there are still many changes to be made if they are at all interested in scaling back a practice that unjustly victimizes so many.
Pics:
Pixabay
Sources:
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/20/17142526/wyoming-waiver-forfeiture-phil-parhamovich
https://steemit.com/freedom/@doitvoluntarily/wisconsin-man-has-life-savings-confiscated-after-minor-traffic-stop
http://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/grading-state-federal-civil-forfeiture-laws/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeleef/2017/12/04/another-ugly-civil-asset-forfeiture-tactic-highway-stop-waivers/2/#3d8011f0f2e6
90 k!!! 😱
Wow. $90K can purchase a lot of Police equipment. Hence, each office has a built-in incentive to confiscate as much cash as he possibly can. Thanks for the heads-up travel share.
It really is a Banana Republic, isn't it? Good grief.
I once lost a wallet with $70. It must have fallen out of my car at Walmart. Who travels with $90,000 on them!!! When you want to keep your money safe that's when you choose to buy a home with lots of land where you can bury your money secretly in the yard.
he had previously mentioned that maintenance workers would frequently pass through his place of residence so he was worried about leaving that sort of cash behind for them to take, also as i mentioned he was scouting for potential property to purchase or instruments for his business, so it makes sense that he might have a large amount of cash on him:)
Good post..
nice post
Well highway police behavior is almost same all over the world. Very astonish thing is most of us believe that high way police is much better then city police. This phenomena is totally ridiculous. We should change our mind and be alert for such incident.
I think this public message by @doitvoluntarily should be spread entire steemit family, thus people can be aware of such happenings
Hii friend @doitvoluntarily, amazing story and behavior of highway police. Your article aware a important message and you convey it in interesting way. In our Country Police Department is much Corrupt and if they found a man with cash $90K on highway then both are vanished... Cash and Man.
Wyoming might be a good place to live. They seem to favor freedom more than many other states. I've driven though the state, but haven't spent much time there.
Hello friend @doitvoluntarily, very good post excellent work the behavior of the road police is great, in my country VENEZUELA the behavior of the police is shameful and corrupt is sad, happy evening greetings @glorimarbolivar
Good night friend, what a beautiful image and what important information you have put in this publication.
very good job.I think you continue your post.
That's literally insane.
What kind of jurisdiction makes it okay for cops to pull you over, take your things, then make you sign a paper to protect your own safety against future false allegations? See, this is the kind of stuff I don't come across in mainstream media.
Thanks for the awareness @doitvoluntarily!
Congratulations @doitvoluntarily! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
To support your work, I also upvoted your post!
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCivil asset forfeiture: because why even pay lip service to due process and individual rights?
This becomes a lesson and experience for the police, as well as for us to be more careful in traveling
Crypto-currencies to the rescue!
It really is a Banana Republic, isn't it? Good grief.
I hear police make killing on these highways...highway robbery...pun intended.
Great post. Thanks for sharing this @doitvolintarily
Joy
These are the people that we are supposed to trust our lives with?
Well done, sir. I bet they didn't see that money-back guarantee coming