How can I work with someone to create a documentary on “forfeiture funds” and the way money taken from minority communities have been a real focus of the war on drugs? Billions in wealth transfer all legal leaving huge wholes in those communities. I’d call it #WheresTheLoot

This #BreonnaTaylor situation has me thinking about it again because there are all these question about what happened that night unanswered. But LMPD rolled out a body worn camera program a few years ago. According to their department policy officers should have been recording.

What’s the connection? LMPD spent almost $5M on its cameras and data plan. This included 988 cameras and a cloud and evidence management system. Part of the money to pay for that? Forfeiture funds. #WheresTheLoot
( https://www.louisville-police.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/94)

Now there are only 1538 employees at LMPD so if LMPD has 988 body worn cameras, there wasn’t a shortage of cameras available that night so... what’s the reason? There also seems to be conflicting stories about whether there were cameras there that night. Why?! #WheresTheLoot

What’s also telling in that link about the BWC program was this chart which seems to show after they started wearing cameras use of force incidents dropped significantly. So they know the cameras help with issues like in this case. But didn’t wear them here? #BreonnaTaylor

Back to the forfeiture. It’s an issue. In Kentucky “(a)gencies reported seizing $61.3 million between 2013 and 2019, according to state data. Nearly 40 percent of that total was reported in just the last two years.” #WheresTheLoot ( https://kycir.org/2020/02/11/under-pressure-more-kentucky-agencies-report-asset-forfeiture-seizures/)

But more than 60 agencies still dIdn’t report. Many of them claim they didn’t know they had to according to state law. They are violating state law NOT reporting the money they taking from folks while admitting to a profit sharing program. #WheresTheLoot https://kycir.org/2020/02/11/under-pressure-more-kentucky-agencies-report-asset-forfeiture-seizures/

LMPD is a leader in this space. Remember that number above? Of the over $61M seized and reported within the state, LMPD led the way with $27M. According to state law, the seizing law enforcement agency keeps 85% of what they get to spend how they see fit. #WheresTheLoot

This becomes important to remember when the original warrant and concern about #BreonnaTaylor’s apartment seemed to hinge on it allegedly being a stash house for cash related to drug funds. Were they there for seizure and forfeiture? #WheresTheLoot ( http://usatoday.com/story/news/nat …)

If you wish for different outcomes you must change the laws. Forfeiture is and has been a problem for a while. If it must happen, give the money to the schools to support better education. Forfeiture advocates are folks that advocate for more training right? #VoteReady