COURTESY OF TERRANCE HUFF
THE
STOP
about ‘I’m not concerned about a small
amount of marijuana, so if you have a
little bit on you, just let me know now.’
Then they bring in the drug dog, and the
search follows.”
In fact, Meyer says, the dialogue in
the Huff stop matches other stops he has
seen from Illinois state police officers,
almost verbatim.
That could be because officers learn
the tactics at some of the same asset forfeiture training seminars. These
HUFFINGTON
10.21.12
Huff and a friend make themselves comfortable on
the bridge of the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next
Generation.
conferences are often administered by
police and law enforcement agencies,
such as this one for Louisiana highway
patrol officers. They’re also offered by
private companies like Professional Law
Enforcement Services. A brochure for
a forfeiture conference in Hollywood,
Florida, even instructs police officers
how to pay for their trip with, yes, asset
forfeiture funds. (“No budget? No problem! Make the bad guys pay!)