Amid growing scrutiny of Kentucky law enforcement’s use of asset forfeiture, more than twice as many agencies disclosed last year how much cash and property they seized than they did two years prior.
Police in Louisville, Kentucky can seize civilian assets with or without a criminal conviction.
Kentucky law says seized money must be used for direct law enforcement purposes. A KyCIR review of $3.7 million in spending records shows agencies take varied interpretations of that law.
A bill proposed in Kentucky would withhold some funding from law enforcement agencies unless they report details on their asset forfeiture activity every year. The move follows a KyCIR investigation.
In Kentucky, just 11 percent of police agencies report how much money and assets they seize every year. The full extent of assets seized statewide is unknown.
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