The Chicago Reader‘s investigation into the Chicago Police Department’s use of civil forfeiture caused a stir in a City Council Finance Committee meeting last Friday.
Burke continued, “I’ve been here for 47 years. Gone through 47 budget hearings. And I can’t recall once that this has been disclosed to the City Council.”
A message left for Holt today seeking specifics on the oversight proposal was not returned.
The ACLU of Illinois is currently working on reform legislation, which it hopes to introduce in Springfield in January. The civil liberties group wants to make it more difficult for police and prosecutors to keep assets. It’s also seeking to put the burden of proof on the state and to usher in greater transparency about how forfeiture money is collected and spent.
