FORFEITURE BILL REASSERTS OUR CLAIM TO OUR RIGHTS

I attended the public hearing on House Bill 1404, concerning civil
forfeiture, and was stunned by the testimony delivered by law enforcement
opposed to the bill. District attorneys are on the record as saying, " 'Not
guilty' does not necessarily mean innocent of criminal activity." The last
time I looked at our constitutional protections, we are all "innocent until
proven guilty."

It is this prevailing attitude of law enforcement that Rep. Shawn
Mitchell's bill is trying to address. Innocent citizens have been stripped
of their property by law enforcement tactics that attempt to recognize a
"not guilty, but" class of criminal.

It is natural for law enforcement to try to use every tool given to them to
fight crime. It is their charge to corral the criminals among us in order
to protect us all. It is also the duty of our government to provide the
necessary oversight and set rules and limits that police and prosecutors
must follow in order to protect our basic rights as free Americans. We must
pursue safety within a legal context that also protects basic rights.

Supporting HB 1404 sends a signal to law enforcement that we cherish our
life, liberty and property, and we are not willing to part with our
inalienable rights over a heavy-handed attempt to make us slightly safer.

N.M. GORMAN

Kittredge