Small Florida Town's Police Force Big Abusers of Civil Asset Forfeiture

Justice Department now investigating

Bal Harbour, Florida is a small village of just 2,574 people, with a police force compromised of 27 officers. Yet, one not so small thing about Bal Harbour is the amount of money the police department seizes through civil asset forfeiture. In fact, the Justice Department is actuallyinvestigating this practice by the village's police.

The Miami Herald reported that federal "agents have frozen millions that Bal Harbour helped confiscate under a program that allows police to seize the riches of criminals — and keep a cut of the proceeds." While "the village has been forced to turn over reams of records in a grueling audit that's now under review by U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors."